A Heart Is a Home
by koobre
Summary: Yuugi, the beloved family dog, is on a vacation with his family for a month; however, it doesn't take long for Yuugi to become suspicious of a creature in the woods. Something is out there in the woods and it threatens his family. He would do anything to protect his saviors and he'd be damned if some Dire Wolf creature dared to harm a single pack member.
1. Chapter 1

**(Koobre:** Like always, I'm putting this here once so that I don't have to do it again: **I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH!** All I own is the plot.)

 **Ch1 Fiction is a Fact**

Long ago, thousands of years before humans walked the Earth, creatures of old roamed the land as their own. Free to the elements and their own habits, each breed grew and evolved into mysterious beings. Some were larger than a house, others were smaller than a grain of sand, but they all existed here on this Earth.

Great sea creatures and dinosaurs are taught in history books and classes so all the world can know of their great reign. Their stories are documented as their mysteries are bountiful and being discovered; meanwhile, beings like dragons, unicorns, and mermaids are left to legend. They are labeled as fictional beings as there is nary a whisper of their existence. Their history is left to the imagination and remain as such; however, as years go by, more evidence to support them arises.

One such beast is called the _Canis Dirus_. This being held incredible strength that could break a bison's leg with a snap of its jaw. While it might not have been the brightest of the _Canis_ family, it held incredible strength and walked alongside the _Smilodon_ -also know as the Saber-Tooth Tiger- in the Pleistocene Epoch. While it's closest living relative is the grey wolf, the _Canis Dirus_ is more commonly known as the Dire Wolf.

Some say the Dire Wolf originated in South Africa and then migrated across the ice bridge into the America's, but it is in the America's that Dire Wolf remains have been discovered; in fact, the first Dire Wolf remains were found in Indiana of the United States. Scientists believe that the Dire Wolf's reign extended to South and North America, but that is where the species ended.

They were said to be great creatures in both size and strength. Were a man to stand beside it, the Dire Wolf would surpass the waste, then the head if it stood on two legs. Its massive paws rivaled that of the Saber-Tooth Tiger, and their strength was almost equal. In their prime, they were a fierce hunter that could take down even the greatest of creatures: however, they were never able to outlive their ear.

The Dire Wolf's extinction was quick and mysterious -most speculate that they died in tar pits as they scavenged for food- but their remains are still being found today.

This may be just a rumor, but some think that the Dire Wolf still exists and roams their once-home; in fact, they say a lonely pack of bloodthirsty Dire Wolfs still roam these very forests, ready to attack any roaming human!

Kisara yelped and hurried to cover her head with the knitted blanket. Sitting across from her on the end of the twin-sized bed was Mana. She was laughing at her frightened sister while trying not to roll off the edge or drop the large book in her hands. Meanwhile, Yuugi scurried behind Kisara with his ears down and his tail tucked close to his body.

After a few seconds of hiding, Kisara lowered the blanket, "You made that last part up!"

Mana shook her head, but the smile refused to leave her face, "No, no, it's all true. It was in big brother's book," she rose the book in the air before rolling in more laughter.

Kisara stared at her older sister, "I-I don't believe it."

Mana calmed down her giggles and leaned closer, "Wanna see?"

"S-see what-? Mana!"

The elder sibling jumped off of the bed and ran over to the bedroom window. Her hurried feet fell softly on the hardwood floor while she eagerly raced towards the frosted window. Her pudgy fingers struggled to lift the frigid glass, but once it was open and the cold and Canadian wind seeped inside, she stuck her head out and howled.

Her hot breath billowed out in white puffs into the cold night, "Aooooooooo!"

"Mana, stop!" Kisara yelled as she too jumped off of the bed and raced to her sister's side.

Mana swatted her little sister away, "Hold on," she turned back to the window and howled again, "Aooooooo!"

"Girls? What are you doing?"

Mana and Kisara jumped at the sound of their mother's voice. Yuugi, who had yet to leave the warmth of the bed, finally hopped off and scurried to the door. Looking back, he saw Mana and Kisara watching him with a mixture of fear and desperation, but he ignored them. This was getting too scary.

Letting out a loud whimper, Yuugi began to scratch at the closed door. Down the hall, he could hear a familiar set of feet and he could smell her calming scent. His orange ears perked up as the scent grew stronger and he scratched at it once more with another whine.

"No, Yuugi! Down boy. Stop it," Mana hissed at him. When he refused to listen, Mana closed the window just as their mother opened the door.

Yuugi lept out of the room and circled the slender woman's feet. His curled tail wagged happily at the sight of her long, pale blue hair and her commanding golden eyes. She stood tall, and while her frame looked fragile, he knew that he could trust her to run the family. She was the alpha female, after all. She looked after her kids and she looked after him with love and discipline.

Yuugi rubbed his smaller body against her leg when he finally stopped behind her. His abnormal, purple eyes shone up into her inquisitive golden eyes before he looked over to the guilty daughters in the room. While Kisara stood off by the window, head and shoulders down, Mana stood at the end of the bed with only determination to cover her guilty face.

Azura, the alpha female, looked at her kids expectantly, "Mana, Kisara, what were you two doing?"

Mana shook her head, "I was just telling Kisara a story."

Yuugi looked up to Azura: his tail began to wag when he noticed that she wasn't buying it. Her sharp eyes scanned the room until they landed on the abandoned book that was left on the bed. She began to stride over to the bed with Yuugi on her heels.

"You were telling stories," Mana's face dropped when her mother picked up the discarded book, "from your brother's history books again?"

Mana huffed and stomped her foot, "It wasn't scary like the Banshee," she objected.

"She said that there were Dire Wolfs that would attack humans in these woods," Kisara's quiet voice drew everyone's attention.

Mana's brown eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest, "They aren't even that scary."

Azura sighed, "Mana, your brother has told you not to read this book."

"But it has so many cool stories in there! There's nothing actually scary!"

"They may not be scary to you," Azura's golden eyes flickered over to Kisara. The girl ran over to her mother and gripped onto her legs in a hug, "but they are scary to her. Besides," her reprimanding eyes fell back on Mana, "I expect you to respect your bother's request and not go through his belongings. How would you feel if he went into your room and took anything he wanted?"

Mana rolled her eyes, "Mahado would never go into my room because there's nothing in there he wants."

Azura watched her middle child for another second before she sighed, "Alright, off to bed with you," her golden eyes softened as she looked down at Kisara, "Both of you."

"Yes, mom," the two girls chimed before Mana wandered back into her beds with her head down.

Yuugi watched by his alpha female's side as Mana walked to the other side of the room where her bed sat with a pink comforter and a white knit blanket on top. She had to hop up in order to set herself on the raised bed, but as soon as she was up, she snuggled beneath the thick blankets. Yuugi could only see her messy brown hair from beneath the blankets while the lump of body shivered and curled into a ball.

Kisara, meanwhile, released her mother and waddled back to the first back. Unlike Mana who easily hopped onto the bed, Kisara struggled to hop on the raised comforter on the first try. When she continued to struggle, Yuugi took pity and padded over before lightly nudging her leg. Startled at the contact, the younger human jumped up on the bed before whirling around to stare at him with wide eyes. Yuugi panted happily as he wagged his curled tail, and Kisara calmed down knowing it was just him. She lifted the flower-printed comforter and snuggled into the sheets before pulling them up to her chin.

Behind him, Yuugi heard Azura cross the room to Mana. Looking at his master, he watched her lean down to plant a kiss to her daughter's head, "Goodnight, sweetie."

"'Night, mom."

When Azura made her way to Kisara, Yuugi backed away to the door in order to give her more space. Once again, Azura laid a hand on Kisara's head before planting a kiss on the forehead, "Goodnight, darling."

"Ni night."

Azura walked back to the open door where Yuugi sat waiting. With one last look at her sleeping children, she flicked off the lights and began to shut the door. Yuugi whimpered and padded the heavy wood softly. His master looked down at him and then back at the door. As opposed to closing it completely, she left it open by just a sliver.

"Just make sure you close it when you go inside," Azura warned him before she strode down the wooden hallway atop the white, push carpet.

Yuugi trotted after her and followed her down the short staircase and into the larger living room. The area was spacious that spread from one side of the house all the way to the other. The walls, floors, and high-slanted ceilings were all polished wood. Freestanding pillars, as well as a creative arrangement of furniture, helped segregate the space into three area's: the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. The kitchen was directly to the left of the staircase complete with modern appliances and cabinets in all shades of grey, wood, and granite. It was a spacious area with beautiful circular lights hanging low enough to light up the section. There were still dishes drying from the dinner the family had that night.

In front of the kitchen, with only the island and the wooden pillars to create a wall between them, was the dining room. A rectangular, oak table that sat eight was centered in the designated area with a large white carpet sitting underneath it. Above the table, was a wooden chandelier with similar white lights that hung in the kitchen. The only other light that came into the room was from the large windows on the wall around it; however, only the light from the moon and stars seeped in now. The only other item in the room was his black food container and his two bowls.

The last area took up the entire space to the right of the stairs. While it didn't have any lights hanging from above, it did have the same large windows surrounding it as well as a stone fireplace on the far wall that was lit with a dying flame. Surrounding the fireplace was a grey couch, loveseat, and a beige armchair. A wooden coffee table sat between them all while matching end tables with wooden lamps on top sat at both ends of the couch. Similar to the dining room, there was a large white carpet that sat under all the furniture and ended just before it touched the stone of the fireplace.

There was only one occupant in the living room, and he was sitting on the couch with a book and reading glasses. He held a strong, imposing figure with aged skin that had been tanned by years under the sun. His shoulder length, black hair was tied in a pony-tail, making it harder to see the greying roots and stands of hair.

Yuugi jumped past Azura and bounded to the alpha male of the family. Slowing just before he ran into his master, Yuugi sat at the elder's feet, his tail wagging happily as he stared up hopefully. The alpha regarded him with greyish brown eyes before leaning down to scratch behind the Shiba's ears. Yuugi tilted his head in delight then, when his master finished and sat back, he shook his fur and lay at his human's feet.

Azura came to sit next to her mate on the couch, "Mana found the book again." She waved the culprit in the air before placing it on the coffee table.

The alpha continued to read his book, "What did she scare Kisara with this time?"

"Dire Wolves," Azura smiled when the alpha looked over his glasses, "Apparently, there are some in these woods."

The male closed the book and settled his gaze on the shrouded woods, "Hmm, looks like we'll have to be careful, then."

"Akhenamkhanen, what are we going to do?" Azura asked.

He shrugged, "I see nothing wrong with her reading it."

"Neither do I, but Kisara is still too young. She's only just gotten over her nightmares about the Wendigo, I don't need here screaming in the night about Dire Wolves."

Akhenamkhanen hummed and placed his chin in his hand, "Perhaps Mahado could mark off which stories are okay to read."

"And hope she won't tell any of those to Kisara? She would look at the other stories anyways. I don't wish for Kisara to stay huddled indoors the entire vacation because of some fairy tale."

"Perhaps we can tell it to Gozaburo and scare him."

"Akhenamkhanen!"

Yuugi's ear perked at Azura's disapproving voice. He rose his head from his paws and twisted to look at his two alphas. Azura was watching Akhenamkhanen with wide eyes while the latter continued to stare out the window. Yuugi's tail twitched as he felt a shift in the atmosphere. His claws extended and retracted, his ears flickered, and his eyes quickly glanced around the room. All of his attention fell on the alpha as the elder rose to his feet and began to wander to the window.

"Gozaburo is planning to build more cabins in these woods. He hopes to make it a business retreat."

His mate paused as the news sunk in, "Does Seto know?"

Akhenamkhanen nodded his head, "Yes, and he is furious. He's trying to fight Gozaburo, but he doesn't have liable reason to stop the building."

Azura rose off the couch, "How do you feel?"

Akhenamkhanen's grey-brown eyes narrowed, "I don't often agree with my brother, and this is no exception."

Yuugi followed his alpha female over to Akhenamkhanen. While Azura laid a hand on her mate's shoulder, Yuugi watched the two with worried eyes. He nudged Azura's leg in comfort, but all she offered him was a small smile before her attention was back on her mate.

"If there is nothing we can do, then there is nothing we can do," her hand slid down his shoulder to his hand, "Come, it's time to go to bed."

Akhenamkhanen turned his head towards her, but his eyes remained outside, "You go on ahead. I'll put out the fire and then follow after."

Azura nodded her head and then slipped back upstairs. Yuugi watched her leave with sad eyes: he was almost tempted to follow her off to bed, but he didn't like the thought of the alpha being awake on his own. So long as the head of the house was awake, he would remain on duty; besides, one never knew what would happen so late at night. What if there was a fire? What if Kisara had a nightmare? What if the Dire Wolves attacked the house?

The Shiba Inu shook his head. There were no such things as Dire Wolves. They were just another fantasy that Mana found in that strange book that Mahado had. Yuugi hated that thing more and more, not only because it gave Kisara nightmares, but he himself had had restless nights worrying over how the various creatures could attack or harm his family; the worst part was that he was always unable to properly protect them. Mahado had found that book almost a year ago and Yuugi had already thought up a thousand ways for it to be "accidentally" destroyed.

Yuugi was jarred out of his thoughts by the sound of the fireplace doors clicking shut. Akhenamkhanen dusted his hands on his shirt before turning to the small dog, "Are you coming to bed with us?"

Yuugi yipped in reply.

"Alright then," Akhenamkhanen chuckled as he rose to his feet and strode over to Yuugi. Yuugi panted as the elder pat his head, "I'll see you tomorrow, Yuugi."

Yuugi remained by the window and settled for watching his master turn off the kitchen lights and head upstairs. With everything covered in darkness, the only light that helped to illuminate his path was the moon. Yuugi's purple eyes dilated in order to see clearly in the shadows.

Even though his masters were heading for bed, Yuugi wanted to make sure that they were all safe before he fell back asleep. While he wasn't too sure about how he would fare against an enemy, he was positive that he could help them avoid any trouble by being prepared. Hopping onto his hind legs and resting his front paws on the sill, Yuugi surveyed the shadowed woods for any danger. In the distance, in the front of the house, he saw a group of fawn eating the leftover corn that the girls had thrown out; however, when they ran out of food, they disappeared into the trees. When he saw no movement or other animals, Yuugi fell back to the floor and trotted to the front door.

He pushed against the solid wood with his nose until he heard a click. With a smile, Yuugi then raised up once more and began to bat at the door lock. He struggled to turn the bolt for a few minutes before it finally turned and locked, ensuring that nothing could come in. Knowing the door was secure, Yuugi padded through the dining room and kitchen with his nose to the ground. After a full sweep and finding no peculiar smells, the Shiba came to a stop at the base of the stairs. His watchful gaze fell upon the doors behind the living room: one led to a bathroom, one to a study, and the other to the basement. While he would feel better checking to secure those rooms, his pack always kept those doors shut, and try as he may, he was never able to turn those rounded handles.

With a defeated huff, Yuugi trudged up the wooden staircase onto the upper levels. To the right was another bathroom, a spare bedroom, and Mana and Kisara's room. To the left was his master's bedroom as well as Mahado's bedroom. No light shone underneath the doors.

Careful to keep his steps light, Yuugi tiptoed over to Mahado's room. The door was closed, but he pressed his nose against it anyways. No budge. The Shiba whined before sinking to the floor and sticking his nose in the crack as far as he could. He frantically sniffed the air, trying to determine that the other was safe and free of danger. When he smelt nothing strange and heard no suspicious movements, Yuugi relented and left that room for his master's.

Yuugi smiled when he noticed that their door was cracked open. With a wag of his tail, the Shiba pushed on the surface and wheedled his head through in order to make room for the rest of him. The room was spacious with the bed centered on the right wall. Shadows were cast over the furniture and obscuring them from a clear view, but Yuugi didn't need to see. He just needed to smell and hear.

With his nose pressed to the carpet, the Shiba began to sniff out any possible danger around. If there was even a single mouse that wished to disturb his masters he would be sure to eradicate it so that they didn't have to worry. When he determined that their room was clean, he trotted back into the hallway and towards Mana and Kisara's room.

His violet eyes glared at the remaining two doors that opposed him. Had their handles not been knobs, he would have easily been able to open then, but alas, they were round. Still, considering the rooms were so close to his family, Yuugi trotted over and gave a few good sniffs beneath the door in hopes to find anything amiss; luckily, they were both clean and he was okay to head off to bed himself.

With his head and tail held high, Yuug trotted back to the youngest room and nudged the door open. He could tell Mana was asleep from the loud snores heard from her side of the room. Kisara, on the other hand, was quiet when he entered, but he knew from the slow rise and fall of her body that she was also asleep.

Satisfied but exhausted from a full days work, Yuugi hopped up onto Kisara's bed and curled at her feet. Aside from the days of packing and planning prior, the flight from their home to here ways long and grueling. While eleven hours on a plane was not his first choice of transportation, Yuugi was glad to finally be here and was ready for their month-long vacation together. While he loved his home over in Domino, Japan, Yuugi always though of the forests of British Columbia, Canada like a second home.

It was a family tradition of sorts to leave once a year in order to spend a month in the family cabin surrounded by endless oak and spruce. How they managed to have no other neighbors around their comfy cabin baffled Yuugi, but he supposed it had to do something with their cousins who built this home: the Kaiba's. He had only met the Kaiba's a few times in his years since his adoption, and while he was still trying to figure how he felt about them, he knew them enough to understand them.

Their alpha male was Gozaburo, a strong man with stubborn views and a stubborn mind. There was only one way in his mind and it was his way, no matter what. The alpha was large and round, with rough features, but underneath it all, Yuugi knew some part of him cared, otherwise he wouldn't have married or had kids. How Haruka, the tall, slim blonde with short hair and grey eyes could handle him was beyond the Shiba's understanding, but it worked out in the end. The alpha female also confused Yuugi regularly in more ways than one. First was her ability to handle Gozaburo n her own: a feat in its own right. Then, he fooled her with her appearance; it always appeared masculine with a strong personality to match, yet she always smelt feminine with a female aura. As much as he loved her, she was a head-scratcher.

Their pups, while less confusing, shared in their parents bold and stubborn personalities. The youngest child, Mokuba, was a rambunctious human with long black hair and stormy eyes like his mother. He always played with Yuugi whenever they were together and he enjoyed watching over the rascal, but he was also blamed for nearly all of what the human did; for example, the two of them were playing in the Kaiba manor back in Japan when Mokuba ran too fast and couldn't slow down in time. As a result, the kid ran into a priceless vase and the resounding crash drew both his and Mokuba's family; however, when the blame needed to be placed, it landed on Yuugi. The youth played it off that he had been chasing Yuugi and it was the Shiba Inu that ran into the pot. The human's believed him and Yuugi was then sent out into the dog house for the rest of the week.

The only human from the Kaiba's how showed him any pity and understanding was Seto. The tall brunette with piercing blue eyes, as well as his adoptive sisters, refused to believe Mokuba's excuse. Still, Gozaburo blamed the Shiba and refused to let him inside the manor, but Seto was the one who let him in at night so that he wouldn't sleep in the cold. Yuugi was also the only one who was allowed to be in the study that Seto worked in. Anyone else who tried to enter was yelled at until they left, but not Yuugi; instead, the human welcomed him inside and allowed him to sit at his feet.

As much as Seto cared, he showed the least amount of actual affection to Yuugi, aside from Gazaburo, but he was the human he had to thank the most. Had it not been for Seto, he would probably still be trapped in a cage underground with needles pierced into his skin every other day.

Yuugi shook his head in order to repress the memories, but he couldn't repress the shiver that made his fur bristle. Disgruntled by the sensation, Yuugi rubbed his face with his paws and groaned. The Shiba huffed through his nose and rose his head in order to look around the room. His lazy gaze fell on sleeping figure of Mana.

A small smile crept on his lips as he watched the girls roll on her other side with her arms spread out. He was in a much better place now than he was back then, and he had these people to thank. Despite his flaws and oddities, this family took him in and made him a part of their pack: no questions asked.

Akhenamkhanen, the leader of the pack was a kind man with a big heart. While he looked tough and worn on the outside, Yuugi could feel his warmth from the moment he laid eyes on him. The man shared similarities with his brother, Gazaburo -intelligence, wit, determination- but aside from that, they shared two different views on life. Gozaburo always saw the bigger picture while Akhenamkhanen looked into the smaller details. Together, they were an equal and unstoppable team, but Yuugi was happy with the side he got.

Azura, Akhenamkhanen's mate, was just as kind-hearted and intelligent as her mate, but she managed to also be soft-spoken and humble. At first glance, Yuugi had been uncertain of her strength, but he quickly learned she was a wolf in sheep's clothing. On the first day they took him home, he had been antsy and ready to test his limits; sadly, one of those limits was the kitchen counter. He had been hungry and uncertain when he would get food, so he hopped onto the counter in order to steal the stick of butter left behind. His plan was swiftly foiled by a bark from the alpha female and a night in the dog house. Never again did he question her authority.

Mahado, the eldest child looked similar to his father with shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, and rich, tan skin. Both shared a tall stature with broad shoulders, but where Akhenamkhanen used his form to intimidate foes, Mahado used his frame to hover over books. It was hard to see him anywhere without his nose buried between to pages, but Yuugi never minded it; in fact, he had found respite in his first few weeks by laying at the elder's feet as he read away. It's only recently that the habit had become an annoyance and it's all because of that one book.

Then there was the little devil, Mana. Like Mahado, she took after her fathers looks with brown hair, eyes, and skin, but her personality was the most rambunctious. As adventurous as she was spirited, she was a force to be reckoned with in both rain and sunshine. She had been such a spit-fire when Yugi first met her, that he had been terrified to be around her. Anytime she tried to run and tackle him in a hug before showering him with kisses, Yuugi would turn tail and retreat in the other direction. Yuugi forgave her over time as she became accustomed to his presence, and got reprimanded by both Akhenamkhanen and Azura.

Kisara was the wee baby of the family and had still been swaddled in a blanket by the time Yuugi came around. He was there when she took her first steps and he was there to see her off on her first day of school. Any time she needed him, he was there, ready to support her in whatever way he could. Sadly, that support was needed more than he would have liked due to her abnormally pale skin, pale blue hair, and silver eyes. As beautiful as she was, taking after her mother, there were those who refused to see the same way.

The bed shifted beside him, so Yuugi looked over his shoulder in time to see Kisara settled into and a new spot. She sighed softly as he body and breathing settled back into a comfortable pattern. The Shiba Inu sighed through his nose and stretched his front paws out. He flexed his toes, extending his limbs as far in front of him as possible before he lay his head atop them. Heavy eyelids began to droop while lazy amethyst eyes gazed out the window.

His violet eyes widened and his body stiffened, his mind awake and alert. The Shiba Inu's nail extended, gripping onto the comforter as his ears perked, alert to the sight outside the window. He rumbled low in his throat before chuffing. The action shook the bed and, after another warning chuff, stirred its other occupant.

Orange ears flickered back to Kisara as she groaned. Yuugi continued to rumble.

"What it is, boy?" Kisara's voices may have been groggy with sleep, but there was an underline uncertainty as well.

The bed shifted, but Yuugi remained trained on the window. He was prepared to leap off the bed and bark at the creature, warning it to back off and leave the family alone, but he remained where he was until he was told to do so. Beside him, Kisara gasped as her gaze followed his and landed on watch he was watching so intently.

Two glowing eyes watched them from the treeline.

"C-come on, Yuugi. L-let's just ignore them. They won't bother us," Kisara placed a shaky hand on his orange fur, but his attention remained on the intruder. He growled, "St-top, Yuugi, no," her voice became hard in her fear and Yuugi silenced his growls. Her hand pulled on him, trying to relax his body and force his head away. The Shiba Inu only relaxed when whatever creature that was turned away and disappeared in the trees.

Yuugi huffed it good riddance before settling down with his head on his paws. Kisara sighed in relief before she too curled back into bed; however, Yuugi could still feel her tremors as he felt himself slip into sleep.

()

Yuugi spun in circles while his wide eyes watch as Mahado filled his silver bowl with food. The clanks of kibble against the tin sent his heart racing and his mouthwatering as the pungent scent of food wafted into his nostrils. The rest of the family was sitting at the dining table, preparing to eat their own dinner, but Yuugi's focus was on his very own dish.

The Shiba Inu paused in his frenzy when Mahado glanced over the counter towards the rest of his family. When no one was looking, the teen then grabbed a small piece of chicken and began to rip it into pieces before placing it in his bowl. Yuugi's tail began to wag frantically enough to wiggle his back legs and his eyes widened as each chunk of chicken joined his silver bowl. He couldn't contain himself. With a pant of excitement, Yuugi jumped into the air and began to run to his dish holder.

Mahado still stood in the kitchen with a smile on his face as Yuugi sat down at his holder, patiently waiting for his food to be given.

"Oh my gosh!"

Mana's outburst paired with the clinking of her glass on the table was enough to draw Yuugi out of his determined gaze over to the table. The rest of the pack was giving her strange looks as her brown eyes hopped around, her mouth agape.

"Is something wrong?" Azura prompted.

Mana whipped her head to look at her mother who sat at the end of the table, "We forgot to feed the deer!"

Everyone, including Yuugi, relaxed when the news was nothing serious. However, as the reason began to settle, Yuugi began to become impatient. His purple eyes continued to flicker from his waiting food bowl to Mana, trying to decide which was more important.

Akhenamkhanen sighed and glanced outside, "Can't it wait until after dinner?"

"No, dad. If we don't do it now, we won't be able to see any deer tonight," Mana leaned forward on the table to try and emphasize her point. Her eyes glimmered with worry and hope.

Yuugi began to lift his front paws in order to drain some of his excess excitement. He was so hungry, but he loved to feed the deer. It was even more fun to watch them wander close to the house in order to eat the food. The Shiba's tail wagged while he whimpered. After another flicker from Mana to his food and back, he let out a quick yip.

"Yuugi's right, dad," Kisara piped up with a nod of her head, "We'll be quick and then come right back."

The two alpha's shared a glance from across the table before Azura nodded, "Alright. Don't linger too long and make sure to wash your hands after you're done."

"Thanks, mom!" the girls chanted together while they hopped from their seats and bolted towards the door,

Yuugi cast one longing look at his food before he was swept up into the excitement by the door. The girls rushed to pull on their snow boots, coats, gloves, and hats, all the while Yuugi pranced in circles, tail high and a smile on his face. The Shiba Inu could barely hold back his excitement when Kisara opened the door and he had to wait for them to leave first. When the youngest finally motioned for him to follow, Yuugi bound into action and lept out the door.

His paws landed in the snow-clad ground softly as small snowflakes landed on his orange fur. The girls were already growing pink in the nose and they shivered at the initial cold; however, Yuugi thrived in the chilly atmosphere and open space. He didn't notice when the girls ducked off to the right and instead broke off at a run into the ring-around lot in front of their house.

His blood pumped with adrenaline and his lungs heaved with the effort to keep up with his speed. In his excitement, he let his jaw fall open and his tongue flop out the side. Every time a snowflake landed on the pink muscle, his eyes would widen in excitement and he would sprint fast. Round and round he ran, breathing the fresh air, relishing in the open space, and soaking in the snowy woods. Japan may have been his home, but nothing could compare to the wonderland of Canada.

Wanting to express himself in another way, Yuugi slid to a halt before hurling himself on to his back. He wiggled on the ground in elation while savoring the damp chill that tried to soak into his thick coat. Paws in the air and tongue lolling about, Yuugi continued to roll and wiggle, creating his own circle in the otherwise undisturbed snow.

With his black nose pointed in the air, Yuugi focused on smelling the area around him. Then he stopped.

Tail stilled and ears perked, Yuugi sniffed the air again. The Shiba rolled onto his stomach and sniffed the ground. It was still there. Yuugi rose off the ground, but kept his nose down and began to sniff furiously, not caring that some of the white flakes began to make a pile on his nose. He followed the strange trail to the edge of the ring-around and slightly into the forest. He stopped and rose his head, casting keen eyes into the shadowed trees. The scent led further into the woods, but he didn't dare follow with his master's permission.

Yuugi sneezed, making the snow fall off his nose. With one paw raised in the air, Yuugi scanned the horizon for movement. When there was none, he began to pad back to his humans, but not without looking back over his shoulder.

Mana and Kisara were still stood by the corn box, both with their hands on the handle of the filled bucket. When he noticed their distressed looks, he hurried over.

"I had to carry it last time," Kisara whined, "It's your time to carry it."

Mana huffed, "But I don't want to carry it. Why can't you?"

"We agreed that we would switch night,s remember? I did it the first night, then you did, then I carried it yesterday, now it's your turn," Kisara's pale eyes were wide as she fought to make her sister understand.

"But I don't wanna…" Mana tried, but by her slumped shoulders, Yuugi knew it was weak.

Silence fell over the group. Yuugi flickered between the two girls, wondering who would cave first, however, when no one moved despite the cold shivers that shook both of them, Yuugi knew they would need a little more convincing. Trotting over to the plastic bucket, the Shiba yelped to get their attention. Once their curious eyes fell on his small figure, he wagged his tail and nudged the bucket towards Mana.

She groaned and tried to look away, but he knew she couldn't pass up his adorable face. With his wide violet eyes, mouth open, tongue out, and tail wagging, he knew there was no way she could fight against him. It didn't take long for her to cave.

"Fine," she grumbled and took the full weight of the bucket.

Kisara and Yugi cheered in happiness before they jumped off of the deck together and began to wander out to the feeding site. Every once and a while, they would need to stop and wait for Mana who lagged behind, but Yuugi didn't mind. He took his time to run around his pack and prance in the snow; moreover, it gave him the time to sniff for that unfamiliar scent. It was too musky to be a deer and too bold to be a small rodent. Bear, maybe, but it didn't smell quite the same. One thing that he was sure about, was that it could be dangerous to him and his pack. That was something he would never let happen.

They were a good distance into the trees now, but they still had a view of the house. The strange scent was getting stronger and Yuugi was getting warry, his prancing became a trot as he kept surveillance for any danger and his tail was stagnant, no longer wagging. He made his circle closer to the girls, that way if there was danger, he could get to them easier.

His mind raced with what the scent could be and his blood pumped with anxiety. What if it was still here? It didn't smell too old. Was it dangerous? It could be. Would he be able to fight it off if it attacked? He didn't know. He had to stay diligent. He had to stay alert.

His nerves soothed when the girls finally stopped at a small tree stomp where Mana rested the heavy bucket. Together, they began to grab handfuls of dried corn with their gloved hands and tossing it into the snowy area. Normally, Yuugi would join them and jump through the falling corn, but not this time; instead, he kept walking in a circle, searching the perimeter. Something felt close and it put him on edge. So long as it kept its distance, he wouldn't alert his owners, but if it lingered, he would warn it to back off.

A cheer from behind him, let the Shiba know that the last of the corn was gone and that the girls were heading back to the house. Yuugi lingered for a second, head high and ears perked as he watched the trees. Nothing. Narrowing his eyes, Yuugi turned away and began to follow his humans home. He would occasionally stop to look behind them, making sure that nothing was going to try and sneak up, but nothing ever did. Sadly, Mana and Kisara noticed his odd behavior and sped their last leg home.

Rushing onto the porch, Yuugi faced the treeline once more while the girls worked the door open. Their haste made their moves sloppy as they tossed the bucket towards the feed box and struggled with the metal handle. Still, as they worked the wood open, Yuugi kept an ever watchful eye on the trees. It wasn't until he felt a rush of warmth behind him that he turned and followed the girls inside. As the door closed behind them, the girls relaxed and began to undo their winter wear, but Yuugi couldn't. Not yet. He trotted over to the window in the living room and rose off the ground. Using the sill to rest his front paw upon, Yuugi's scrutinized the silent woods.

"Yuugi, get down," Akhenamkhanen barked from the table. Yuugi ignored him at first, but when a second order came, he finally fell down with a disgruntled huff.

"He was acting weird on the way back, dad," Kisara said while hanging her coat on the hook.

"Yeah, I think he saw something out there," excitement was prominent in Mana's statement, but it set her younger sister on edge.

"O-or he could have just been watching for deer," Kisara mumbled as she and Mana sat down.

Mana shook her head, "No, Yuugi was watching for something else. He's never that serious when it comes to deer."

"Let's just leave it for now," Azura jumped in when Kisara's eyes widened. She placed a loving hand on her daughter's shoulder before looking both in the eye, "Did you wash your hands?"

The girls grumbled and slid out of their chairs before rushing into the kitchen. Yuugi watched them before walking over to his dish holder. As he waited for Mahado to bring him his food, his violet eyes scanned the two alphas. Neither seemed too concerned about the possibility of something being out there. Of course, they also knew that there were bears and wolves that naturally lived on these lands. Maybe they just assumed that the danger wouldn't bother them. Seeing his leaders at ease with the idea, gave Yugi some comfort, but he still let his eyes drift towards the windows. While he might not be able to see much from this angle, it made him feel better that someone was watching.

Mahado's shadow fell over his attentive frame, so Yuugi looked up to the older male; however, instead of the human watching him and setting down the bowl, his wise brown eyes were glancing out the window. His stare lingered for a moment before it fell onto Yuugi. Mahado smiled and pat Yuugi's head before setting down the bowl.

The Shiba began to chomp his food while Mahado went to join the pack at the table. A part of Yuugi felt better knowing that Mahado looked, but wouldn't let his guard down. Not until he either knew what it was or until it moved away.

Yuugi's dinner was anything but peaceful. With his ears alert for any sound and his eyes scrutinizing every detail, there was no time for a proper meal break. Even as he finished, the Shiba didn't crawl under the table as he normally did and waited for the girls to slip him food; instead, he sat by the door with his nose as close to the ground as possible. He couldn't smell the weird animal at all, and despite his alpha's indifference, he would do his job and stay on guard. There were just some things in life that one couldn't chance.

"Look! Look! The deer are out."

Yuugi's head rose from the ground as he watched Kisara point out the window. Somehow, the family had finished dinner and were now sitting in the living room, but Yuugi didn't mind. He trotted over to his pack and stopped by the girl's feet where she stood at the window. Mana soon followed as the two girls pressed close to look at the docile animals.

Not being able to see from this angle, but not wanting to upset his alpha, Yuugi turned towards the couch where Mahado sat and wandered over. The human scratched his ears as the Shiba sat at his feet, while Yuugi wagged his tail in delight. His purple eyes closed in bliss before slipping open to glance out the window. He still didn't have a perfect view, but he swore he saw something slink into the shadows behind the deer.

Whatever it was, it would leave them alone tonight.

()

"Mana, hold on!"

The young brunette skidded to a stop in front of the door before she turned around with a disgruntled expression, "But, Mooooom. Kisara is already out there."

Azura gave her daughter a pointed look before kneeling in front of her daughter, "Kisara went outside with her coat zipped up."

Beside them, Yuugi shifted from paw to paw while his eyes skidded to the door. His ears continued to flicker and he edged his body closer to the door. He knew that Mahado was upstairs, Akhenamkhanen was finishing dinner, and Azura was with Mana, but Kisra was outside; therefore, she was out of sight. Had circumstances been different, Yuugi wouldn't have minded lagging behind to wait for Mana, but things were not normal and his paranoia from a few days ago had only continued to grow.

Despite his alpha's dismissal of his suspicious the first time he smelt something outside of their house, Yuugi continued to keep a close eye during their nightly deer feeding, but sadly whatever this creature was, was not going away; in fact, Yuugi swore that its scent was getting stronger and closer to the house.

At first, Yuugi tried to hide his growing unease, but Mana and Kisara picked up on his nervousness easily and they too had become wary of the woods. While their excitement to feed the deer was still there, they were less energetic when they wandered into the woods. They would watch Yuugi as he sniffed and scanned the trees. Nothing had yet to show itself, but the three of them began to stay closer to the house every night just in case something did attack.

When Mana was finally zipped up and the door was opened, Yuugi bolted past the two, ignoring the shout of protest from the alpha female. His orange ears folded back at the scolding, but his fear and worry for Kisara were strong enough to keep him running. His pace slowed to a trot when he saw the youngest by the feed container, shoveling dried corn into the bucket.

Hearing his approach, she looked up from her task and Yuugi could see her visibly relax. He whimpered and nudged her hand until it rested on his head. She smiled and scratched his ear before continuing her task. Mana, meanwhile, rushed over to the pair just as Kisara finished filling the bucket.

"You said you would wait for me," Mana complained as she helped her sister lock the feed container.

"I wasn't going to leave the porch without you. I just didn't want to do nothing while I waited," Kisara replied before she lifted the bucket off the ground. Her pale eyes glanced over the woods and her body curled closer to itself.

Mana did the same thing before she shook it off, "Come on. If we're quick then we won't have to stay out here too long."

Seeing Mana begin to walk off the porch, Yuugi jumped in front of the group to check the way. Nose to the ground and ears alert, Yuugi searched for any sign of danger nearby. Sure enough, the scent that had been lingering for the past few days littered the ground, strong and musky. The Shiba sneezed before continuing his search. The only sounds he could hear were the cheerful chatter of the two girls and the crunch of their boots in the snow. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

Not picking up on any danger yet, Yuugi stopped walking and rose his head from the ground. His purple eyes scanned the trees for any new movement. So far, the only things he could see were Mana and Kisara who had stopped to watch him.

Kisara glanced over her shoulder towards the house, "T-this is far enough, right? We won't startle the deer from here."

Mana shifted her gaze from the trees to the house, then to Yuugi, "Yeah, this is good."

With the girls occupied with throwing the corn, Yuugi took to patrolling in a large circle around the girls. Every so often, he would stop to sniff or listen. The scent was still strong, still fresh, but he still couldn't see anything: no even paw prints. There would be a twig snap here or a crunch of snow there, but still, Yuugi couldn't see anything.

The Shiba's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the surrounding area. He took three sniffs in the air. A quiet rumble grew in his throat.

"Alright, deer. Dinner is served!" Mana smiled as she displayed their fresh work, "Come on, Kisara. Dad made falafel tonight, and I want to eat it while it's hot. Kisara?"

Yuugi twisted his head towards the girls. Mana looked confused as she watched her younger sister; however, Kisara is what made him freeze. Her blue eyes were wide while her hands clenched the bucket's handle with white knuckles. When she started to shake, Yuugi bolted over and stood in front of her with his body facing the woods.

Keen eyes followed her gaze until they found there target: two glowing eyes watched them from the shadows. Yuugi growled at the intruder and his hackles rose to bulk his figure. Even his claws extended and his teeth were barred in order to show that this being had come close enough.

"Kisara, let's go," Mana whispered and Yuugi heard her try to pull the girl away, "Kisara, now!"

Yuugi could tell Kisara was scared, as was Mana; however, Mana wasn't the one frozen in place. The Shiba couldn't chance a glance back at the girls lest this being attacked, but he prayed that they would start to head back to the house. At least there they were safe and Akhenamkhanen could grab his rifle. Here, though, they were exposed, and who knew how many more of these things were hiding.

Sniffing the air again, Yuugi's growls became more vocal when he smelt more beings hidden in the trees. They were not allowed here. They would not hurt _a single_ member of his pack. They would leave and hey would leave now.

The being in the shadows began to walk closer, despite Yuugi's warnings, revealing what looked to be a wolf, but something was off. It was bigger, massive in fact, with a larger head and darker fur. It looked grungier and its fangs were so long that they protruded over the bottom lip. Yuugi barked and snarled at the creature with an open mouth.

"Kisara, now!"

Thundering footsteps sounded the girls' retreat, and Yuugi breathed a mental sigh of relief. Not only were the girls heading to safety, but none of the creatures seemed interested in their retreat. With a final warning bark, Yuugi turned face and ran after his owners. As he ran, he kept his ears perked and his eyes skittish in case the creatures got any ideas to chase them. While Yuugi was relieved that the beings didn't follow, he refused to let his guard down even after they came busting through the door and slamming it shut.

(Koobre: Alright, here is the wolf-wolf story I promised! I'm still planning the Darken Eyes re-write after this, but I wanted to do this first. I think this is the story that I've done the most research on so far: I think it helped! Just a heads up, I'm trying something new with this story, but it shouldn't really affect y'all too much. Please review!)


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch 2 Shadows In Daylight**

Yuugi stretched out his limbs against the plush carpet and let his mouth open in a wide yawn. When his muscles were successfully stretched, he settled back into place on the floor. Beside him, Mahado sat cross-legged with the scary book in his lap with Mana looking over his shoulder. For the most part, they were silent, but every once in a while, Mana would ask a question and strike up some riveting conversation with her elder brother. They were reading about some creature called Bigfoot, but not wanting to find another thing to worry about, Yuugi began to tune them out.

Meanwhile, Kisara sat on the couch with her legs drawn to her chest and her eyes glued to the window. She had a deck of cards spread out on the couch cushions in front of her, but they were long forgotten after her tenth game of solitaire.

Azura was in the study with Akhenamkhanen working on some sort of something that Yuugi didn't understand. From the bits of conversation that he could hear, he figured Seto must have reached out to them about the construction that Gozaburo wanted to do; however, he couldn't tell for sure.

Yuugi groaned and rolled onto his stomach, resting his paws on top of each other. He let his eyes loll towards the window just in time to see the snow begin to fall. His tail began to wag and his head rose at the white clusters, but when he swung his head to look at his owners, none of them gave him any attention. Not willing to give up and dying for some entertainment, the Shiba Inu rose to his feet and nudged Mahado.

The male rose his head to look at Yuugi who shuffled his paws and turned his body towards the door. Mahado looked uneasy at first as he stared at the door then back at Yuugi before; however, when Yuugi let out a soft plead, the male sighed and handed the book to Mana.

The young girl looked at her brother who stood and began to walk towards the door with Yuugi jumping in circles around him. Glancing back at the girl, Yuugi caught the fear in her brown eyes, and that was enough to calm his speed to a gentle trot. He didn't want to, but he cast a glance at Kisara and the poor girl looked petrified.

"Mahado, wait," Kisara piped up, "I-It's too cold to let Yuugi out."

Mahado shook his head, "Yuugi will be fine. I'll just let him out to go to the bathroom and then I'll let him in."

Kisara bit her lip and glanced out the window, "I-Is it safe?"

Mahado's brown eyes did their own scan outside before he grabbed the doorknob, "It's daylight. Nothing should be out."

Just as he was about the open the door to let Yuugi out, Kisara bolted off the couch and stood close to the window. She worried a lock of silver hair in her clenched hands but said nothing more as Yuugi was finally let outside.

Feeling the cold breeze on his fur, the Shiba Inu raced out the door and into the fresh blanket of snow. His paws landed softly in the snow and he took a moment to breathe in the fresh air. Ever since the fright from a few days ago, the family had been careful with how much time they spent outside, especially for Yuugi. It was rare for them to let him outside other than to do his business and it was even rarer to see the girls playing outside.

Turing his head towards the feed container, Yuugi's tail lowered and he let out a small whimper as he saw the untouched bucket.

Shaking off the sadness, Yuugi began to trot around the car-loop in the front, sniffing the snow and finding the right spot to relieve himself. The creature's scent was still strong on the property, and Yuugi growled as he came across a strong spot near the house. Out of spite, he peed over the scent and kicked snow on top to keep it there.

Aside from the scents, there were no prints around the house aside from the fresh ones that he made. At night he made sure to triple check every window and doorway before settling into bed, and still, he hadn't seen any more of the creature, so it baffled him that the scent had yet to weaken. The only peace of mind he got was from the fact that it had yet to actually touch the house.

Sprinting around the car-loop, Yuugi then fell to the ground in order to roll on his back. Limbs in the air and mouth opened, Yuugi savored the soft embrace of the snow and the bitter cling of cold. He pawed at some of the falling snowflakes and smiled as each one kissed his fur and nose. Yuugi stood back on his feet and pranced to a new patch of snow before rubbing his body, neck first, into the ground. He sneezed as some of the powder went in his nostril, but it did nothing to deter his moment of happiness and freedom. He settled on his side with his back arched in a half circle and his limbs fully extended and claws sunk in the snow. Purple eyes slipped closed in bliss.

There were no sounds aside from the rustle of trees and the distance sounds of the house. No birds, no squirrels, no cars, just peace. There was no sense of danger in the gentle snowfall as it began to wrap him in a blanket of safety. The snow had made a thin layer on his thick coat when he heard a twig snap in the distance.

Immediately, Yuugi was on his paws with an attentive stance. His hackles were low, but his ears, tail, and nose here high in search for any sign of danger. Nothing made itself known, nor were there any sounds from the forest around him. Violet eyes narrowed as he watched the trees just as a bitter chill, unlike the normal cold of snow, wracked his body.

"Yuugi! House!"

The Shiba refused to move at Kisara's command, but when Mahado joined her, he relented and sprinted back towards the house.

()

"Honey, it's our last week here, can't you wait until then to get back to work?"

Yuugi blinked his tired eyes up at Azura who stood in the doorway of the study. He was curled at the base of the roller chair that Akhenamkhanen sat in as he typed away on his laptop. The male finally ceased his typing and leaned back with a thoughtful expression, his eyes still glued to the glowing screen.

"I wish I could, but Gozaburo has begun to reach out to me on ideas for the company. He was wondering if I could take a survey of the land while I'm here and think of any optimal locations."

Azura crossed her arms and slid her blue hair behind her ear, "Neither you nor Seto has found a way to stop him?"

Akhenamkhanen shook his head, "Not without probable cause. You know that man: unless he can turn a profit, he won't consider it," the two fell silent for a while. Yuugi just closed his eyes when the alpha spoke up, "Do the girls still refuse to go outside?"

"They're still afraid, and it doesn't help that Mana keeps giving them new creatures to be afraid of."

Akhenamkhanen hummed, "It's a shame that they've spent so much time inside."

"I know there is nothing out there for them to be afraid of, but they won't listen to me. Perhaps if you were to indulge them…"

"A family walk, perhaps?"

Yuugi perked up at the mention of a walk. As his wide eyes pleaded at his alpha, his tail began to wag, rocking his whole body the more his excitement rose. All it took was one smile from Akhenamkhanen and the Shiba was off the ground and prancing in circles.

Azura chuckled at the display, "A family walk it is," she turned to leave the room, but not before tossing a final comment over her shoulder, "This way you can at least tell Gozaburo that you looked around."

As she left to gather the rest of the pack, Akhenamkhanen and Yuugi stayed in the study, much to the latter's dismay. The longer his alpha sat in the chair, the more impatient Yuugi became. When the man refused to move, still, Yuugi hopped back to his side, sat down and placed his head in the human's lap. Akhenamkhanen chuckled as he pet the Shiba's head, but as soon as the hand was gone, Yuugi sprung to life and bounced towards the door.

"Alright, alright," Akhenamkhanen chuckled as he finally rose off his seat and strode out of the study.

Yuugi was hot on his heels, jumping in circles, one paw in the air, and tail wagging uncontrollably. The rest of the family was already at the door getting their winter boots, coats, and gloves on, albeit Mana and Kisara were dragging their feet as they got ready. By the time Akhenamkhanen was fully assembled, the girls still had to shrug on their coats.

Yuugi whined at Mana who pat his head.

"Do we have to go, mom?" Kisara asked.

"Yes, you do," Azura kneeled in front of her daughter and zipped up her white coat, "We are only going to be here for a few more days, and you've been cooped up inside," she flipped Kisara's fur-lined hood over her silver hair and placed her hands on the smaller shoulders, "Besides, the whole family is going to be with you, so there's nothing to worry about."

"But I don't wanna go outside," Mana grumbled as she zipped up her coat before her mother could.

"It won't be long, girls. Before you know it, we'll be back home," Akhenamkhanen ended the conversation by opening the door and letting in a fresh winter breeze.

Any further complaint the girls had was silenced by Yuugi sprinting past the pack and out into the snow. With one graceful leap, Yuugi launched himself off the porch and into the freshly laden snow. He didn't waste a second after his paws hit the snow and began to sprint in the open area; however, his run was cut short by a whistle from the alpha, calling him back to their side.

As he re-joined the group, the pack began their walk down the snowy path. It was a narrow trail that only existed due to its frequent use from the animals in order to get to the river below, but it was secure. It led deep into the forest, following the winding river, and over the frozen marsh.

The family was silent at first before Mahado decided to begin stories of the animals that lived there. Most of the family had heard the tales before, but anything was better than the nervous silence from the two girls.

"Do you see that tree over there?" Mahado pointed into the river where a small mound of earth created an island with a young tree rising out of it, "Out of all the spruce that have tried to grow there, that one is the only one to last this long."

Kisara lulled her head to look at it, "It looks like it's dying."

Mahado nodded his head, "It probably is. I can't imagine that there is a lot of nutrients on that patch of land."

Yuugi stopped to look at the spruce from the shore. He could feel the mist from the flowing river dust his paws, so he took a step back, but his eyes remained trained on the leaning tree. Even in its youth, the branches looked thin and frail while its trunk leaned over the island at an eighty-degree angle. His violet eyes trailed down to the water crashing against the small mound of earth. Beneath the crystalline surface lay the fallen trunks of various trees who tried to grow on the island prior.

His ears fell back as he looked back up at the living tree. A cold breeze blew in his face, pushing him away from the river bend. With a quick shiver, the Shiba turned tail and ran towards his pack that stopped at the bottom of a hill.

"Is this safe?" Kisara asked as she inspected the snowy trail along the steep incline.

Azura reached a hand out to grasp the trunk of a nearby tree. She tested her weight against it and smiled when it held firm, "If we are slow and careful, then we should be fine."

Azura was the first to risk the treck followed by Mahado and Mana. Kisara still looked unsure, but a prod from her father had her trailing behind them with him watching them all. Yuugi meanwhile stalled at the base. It wasn't a difficult path, perse, but in the snow with the ice, it was a harder journey. One slip could send one tumbling down into the river just to be swept away in its strong current. He knew his pack was alright because they had the trees for support; however, he had his paws and the ground to keep him safe.

A splash in the river had Yuugi whipping around with his tail and ears up. There was no movement along the water, nor on the other bank, but his gut told him that something was there. His eyes narrowed in an effort to see past the dense trees and his nose sniffed the air; however, most of the scent was swept away in the current and pine trees.

"Yuugi, let's go."

An orange ear flickered back at Akhenamkhanen's command before his whole body turned. Yuugi took his movements slow, trying to assess for any more danger, but when none came, he huffed and began his trek up the hill.

His progress was slow, but it was steady. Each step he took he tested first before putting his weight on the slickened earth. His pack encouraged him as they waited up at the top, giving the confidence he needed to keep going. When he was near the top, Yuugi stuck his paw in the snow and went to heave his body over the top, but the snow caved and he began to slide down.

He yipped in fear and began to flail his limbs, trying to find any sort of purchase, but they all fell under his weight. He could hear the crashing of the water below and he could imagine its unrelenting cold grip on his bones. His heart raced and his body shook in his urgency to stay on the ground. Just as he paws lost all purchase and his body began to all through the air, Akhenamkhanen grabbed his collar and hauled him up.

Once on sturdy ground, Yuugi ran away from the edge and planted his four paws into the snow. His ears were flat against his head and his tail was between his legs as he watched the family with wide eyes. Kisara was being comforted by her mother while Mahado was holding Mana. Akhenamkhanen was catching his breath from his place against an oak.

When his heart was no longer beating in his ears, Yuugi padded over to the youngest daughter and licked her gloved hand. Kisara caved and wrapped him in a tight embrace that he didn't fight. She wasn't crying, but Yuugi knew she wouldn't sleep well tonight.

"He's alright, Kisara: just a little frightened," Mahado spoke to break the silence.

Kisara refused to let go of Yuugi, even when Mana tried to pry her off, "Kisara, let go, you're going to hurt him."

The girl just shook her head and clung closer, "I wanna go back now."

Yuugi struggled to turn his head, but he was able to watch as Akhenamkhanen checked his watch and then looked back at the group.

"We have been out for an hour, but the trail is almost over. Do you think you can hold out for the whole trail?"

Kisara didn't respond, so Yuugi wiggled his way out of her grip in order to lick her face. She allowed him to kiss her while she pet his neck. After a few more seconds, she nodded her head.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence as the group listened to nature. There wasn't much to hear, but Yuugi enjoyed the quiet symphony of wind, snow, and the river around them. He made sure to keep close to Kisara in order to put her at ease. Any time he wandered too far into the treeline, she would call him back and clutch at his fur.

True to his word, the end of the trail was in sight and they were able to begin their journey home. Knowing that they were heading back, Kisara loosened her grip on Yuugi and allowed him to run around more. Not only that, but the rest of the group became comfortable enough to engage in a joyful conversation. Yuugi smiled at his pack before walking ahead on the trail until their voices where mummers in the trees.

Yuugi smiled and tipped his head into the sky, loving how the wind brushed against his fur. Taking a deep breath of pine and snow, Yuugi lowered his sights in front of him and allowed his thoughts to wander. Their time was almost up in the cabin and they would be leaving back home soon. As much as he loved Japan, he wasn't quite ready to head back. He was tired of the cities and cars and countless people. Whenever they were here it was just nature and his family; most of all, there were no reminders of Hiroshima.

The Shiba shivered as harsh memories came into his mind. It may have been years since he was rescued from that place, but the scars it left behind could not be hidden. While he had to admit that he was lucky to have gotten out alive with nothing too extreme, but most humans who find out turn away from him. The eyes are one thing, but the being able to carry puppies is another.

 _Crunch._

Yuugi stopped and twisted his head around to his side. When there was no movement, he glanced over to his pack behind him. They showed no sign of having heard anything, so Yuugi kept walking; however, he made sure to keep his eyes and ears open for anything.

He owed a lot to this family; in fact, had it not been for Seto finding him, Yuugi knew he wouldn't be alive right now. He may not be able to do much, but he was determined to repay his debt by keeping this family safe.

The minutes ticked by and each step he took put Yuugi more on edge. He couldn't see anything, nor did he smell anything dangerous, but he kept hearing noises in the distance. A crunch of snow or the breaking of a twig. The rustle of pine or even the occasional startled bird kept Yuugi ever aware of some sort of movement in the woods.

Without a scent or a visual to go off of, the Shiba couldn't tell if this was just a deer used to their presence or if it was something with malicious intent. His pack continued to remain oblivious to this movement, but when Mana pointed it out, Akhenamkhanen passed it off as a squirrel or chipmunk. The answer may have soothed the girls, but the heavy feeling in Yuugi's stomach told him not to be so flippant.

He decided to hang close to his family and circle around them in order to check on all sides. They paid his antics no mind as he pranced in the snow, but Yuugi was ready to bark if anything serious did come about. Kisara and Mana were not ready for any unsettling experiences and he would be danmed if he ruined their time here on a false alarm.

Finally, the cabin was in sight as the afternoon sun lit it in a beacon. The family continued to laugh and talk, but Yuugi sprung forward in order to check the path ahead. Everything looked normal, and there were no signs of any prints in the snow; however, he could smell it.

He could smell that musky scent of the creature.

It was strong

It was fresh.

It was close.

Too close.

Yuugi's fur rose as he quietly chuffed at the house. His eyes scanned, looking for anything that would react to his warning. When the creature refused to show itself, he rose his volume to a bark. It wasn't malicious or aggressive but it was deep: a warning.

His family halted at his bark, but Mana was the first to speak, "Did he see something?"

Mahado spoke next, "I don't see anything. Maybe he just saw a squirrel-"

Yuugi barked again, this time taking a step forward.

"Stay here," Akhenamkhanen warned as he cautiously walked to Yuugi's side. He looked at the Shiba who was sniffing frantically and twitching his head from side to side for a wider view, "What is it, boy?" His tone was quiet and serious as he scanned the area himself.

Yuugi, meanwhile, was getting impatient, he could smell those creatures near the house and they were still there. He could feel their hidden gaze on him and his pack, but he couldn't tell their intentions. What he did know was that they were too close and needed to leave now.

The Shiba growled before barking again, this time with a more gravely tone. Akhenamkhanen seemed to get the picture, even though the creatures remained hidden.

"Azura, get the kids into the house. Now," he kept his voice hushed and his movements smooth in hopes to not provoke whatever Yuugi sensed.

Mana tried to speak up, but a swift look from her mother silenced her and the group began to move towards the house. Yuugi walked with them, but at a distance ahead. He continued to growl and bark at the beings in the shadows. They just needed to get into the house, then Akhenamkhanen could get his gun and really scare off these beings.

They were almost to the porch when their enemy walked out from behind a tree. It was black and wolf-like, just like the one from before. Then another crunch from the right revealed the same creature, but this one with white fur. There was another to the left with honey-colored fur.

They stopped as soon as they were in sight, but Yuugi intensified. His growls turned into snarls and he barred his teeth at the intruders. Their scent was intoxicating and drove him mad with their wild and earthy undertones. Had they not been so close to his family, he would have been intrigued, but that was not the case.

The black one was the first to move, that's when all hell broke loose.

Kisara screamed, making the white one growl and lunge forward. Yuugi snapped his jaws and rushed at the larger beast who growled and dove backward. Yuugi turned around and rushed at the honey-one who began to stalk his family as they rushed inside. Adrenaline drove Yuugi forward as he tumbled into the larger being; however, his effort only caused the creature to stumble back in surprise as opposed to falling on the ground.

The Shiba barked and snapped his jaws at the creature who just growled back with his ears pressed against his head. Yuugi rose on his back legs and swung his paws down, trying to get the high ground, but the creature followed suit and towered over him. It's massive paw stuck Yuugi to the ground, but as he rolled in the snow, Yuugi continued to growl. Bounding to his feet, Yuugi went to rush at the honey one again, only to turn around when he heard Mana scream.

The white creature was closing in on the door while Mana was being pulled inside by Mahado. He couldn't see Akhenamkhanen, so Yuugi knew he was looking for the gun and Azura was struggling to keep Kisara inside, leaving it up to Mahado to keep Mana safe. Both of the girls were yelling the Shiba's name with tears running down their cheeks. The sight broke his heart, but he couldn't give up now.

Barking at the white creature, Yuugi rushed at it and knocked away just in time for Mahado to pull Mana inside. Once again, Yuugi rose to his hind legs and struggled to land on the white beings back, managing to only get his front paws over the beast. It snarled at their position and snapped at his legs; however, Yuugi clawed at its side and bite its neck. The creature howled and became frantic as it ran off the porch and into the loop where it rolled on the ground and onto the Shiba.

Yuugi yelped in pain as its heavy body pushed him into the snow, but not enough to crush bone. He tried to roll off his back, but as soon as he did, he felt iron jaws grip onto his back leg. He howled in pain, but a distant bark from the black wolf, who had yet to join the fight, had the white wolf release him before any bones could break.

Yuugi smelt blood and saw it taint the pure snow, but his task was far from over. The white wolf growled at him while the honey and black wolf closed in; however, he could hear the creak of the porch and the crunch of distant snow as something encroached on the house.

Craning his neck around, Yuugi's blood ran cold as he saw a fourth creature with brown fur go up to the door and push against it. Yuugi prayed to every deity that Mahado had closed the door fully and that his family was safe inside until Akhenamkhanen found the gun.

His heart shattered when it pushed open.

Four screams escaped the house as the new creature broke the only barrier they had. Summoning all his strength, Yuugi ignored the pain in his leg and sprinted towards the house. The white and honey-colored creatures made a grab for him, but he slipped under the latter's legs and made a beeline for the brown one.

His leg throbbed, but any thought of pain went out the window when he saw the brown wolf starring at his family huddled in the living room. Gathering as much speed as he could, Yuugi jumped at the being and sunk his teeth into its neck. While it didn't make a noise at the action it did stumble to the side, crashing into the dining room table as Yuugi tried to drag it away. Their movements became frantic as they fought each other for dominance until they became a flurry of jaws and fur as the two tumbled along the floor. Kisara and Mana were screaming over the snarls and growls. Yuugi could see blood staining the white carpet, but he couldn't tell whose it was.

There was a gunshot in the house that stunned all beating bodies. Akhenamkhanen stood at the top of the stairs with his rifle in hand and a serious expression on his face. The brown creature on top of Yuugi growled at the object before it clamped it's jaw around his already injured leg and began to drag him outside.

The Shiba struggled against the hold and tried to kick it off, but nothing was working. Kisara and Mana were screaming and Akhenamkhanenwas cursing at the top of the stairs. Yuugi knew he couldn't get a clean shot from their position. He wasn't as good of a hunter as Gozaburo and if he missed, he could end of shooting Yuugi. Then again, Yuugi wasn't sure which was worse: being shot by his family, or being eaten by these creatures.

Scratch that: he knew which was worse.

Yuugi began to bark at Akhenamkhanen and whine in pain in hopes that he would take the shot. If he scared his alpha enough then the other would shoot and if it hit the creature, then they were safe: if it hit Yuugi, then it put him out of his misery.

Akhenamkhanen struggled as he watched the Shiba being dragged out of the house. His kids were yelling at him, his dog was whining, and the creatures were growling. With a curse, he rose the gun but stalled once more.

Yuugi pleaded with his eyes for Akhenamkhanen to shoot. Shoot! SHOOT! He couldn't risk his family getting hurt, they had to live. Didn't he see that?!

Yuugi smelt the other wolfs gets closer, so he looked towards the brown one. Sure enough, the other three were standing behind it, watching Akhenamkhanen while in a stance to run. When Yuugi was past the threshold and in the snow, the black one pounced, flipping Yuugi onto his stomach and grabbing him by the scruff of his neck. The Shiba yipped as he was lifted off the ground and then carried away with the other creatures in tow.

There was a gunshot behind them and more screams to stay inside. He heard Akhenamkhanen exit the house and fire another shot, but it missed them completely. Before he knew it, the house, the screams, and the familiar scents disappeared as he was carried deep into the woods and away from home.

Birch, pine, and oak past by in a blur of colors and a flurry of snowflakes. The wind was sharp and the crisp scent of snow became heavy as the little flakes of snow became clusters that landed on his fur and chilled his bones. Yuugi whimpered at the isolating kiss.

The creatures carrying him remained silent as their journey trucked on into the trees. Further and further into the forest and shadows stretched across the ground as dark clouds blocked out the winter sun. The only noise was that of his captors growling at each other or Yuugi if he moved too much.

Truth be told, Yuugi wasn't trying to fight off their hold anymore. As much as he would love to fight back and run home, he knew that they were faster, stronger, and out-numbered him. Any attempt that he would make to get home would be in vain; furthermore, the adrenaline from before had worn off and left him blatantly aware of the pain in his legs and muscles.

The blood dripping from his wounds nearly froze in the winter wind and stained the snow below them. While he held hope that the bloody trail would lead his family to him, Yuugi knew that it would be lost in the new snowfall and he would be left behind. He had other scratches and minor bite wounds on his chest, muzzle, legs, and ears, but they were tolerable compared to his back right leg.

The throb in his muscles was purely from the exertion it took to fight off the intruders, but now that the fight was over, he had no way to distract from it. He figured that the hold that the black creatures had on him would be painful, but it wasn't; in fact, it almost felt gentle despite its sturdy hold. Yuugi could feel the hidden strength in the creature's jaws even in the cautious hold. If it really wanted to, it could tighten its grip and snap his neck with ease. That's not to mention the elongated teeth that poked his skin and threatened to draw blood.

The Shiba cast purple eyes towards the other creatures: the white on the right, honey on the left, and brown up front. Their wolf-like facade was convincing, but they were bigger, more muscular. Their paws were huge with claws to match as they dug through the snow. Their coats looked thicker as well, capable of handling colder climates with ease. Just were these beings?

The white creature caught him staring and narrowed its eyes. Yuugi's ears folded against his head before he deterred his gaze towards the ground. His fate was in their hands now, but if he bid his time well and didn't provoke them, there was a chance he could make it back home.

Home. It was getting so far away now. Oh, how his heart longed to be with his family, curled on the bed as Kisara fell asleep. A part of him wished that Akhenamkhanen would run after him and fight to bring him back; on the other hand, he hoped they stayed as far away as possible. These beings were not to be trifled with, and so long as he was in their clutches, he was as good as gone.

Yuugi sighed and lifted his gaze up into the snow-clad branches. Grey clouds showered them in cool bundles of snow that feel gently on his face. It didn't matter if he survived in the end: so long as his family was safe, he could endure anything.

"Do ya gotta name?"

Yuugi blinked and tilted his head back down. Looking over the rest of the group, he was finally met with curious, honey-eyes from the left.

"Do I have to give you one?" the male teased as his wide mouth cracked into a toothy smile. Yuugi struggled to find his voice, but the moment he did, a husky baritone to his right cut him off.

"No questions until we get to camp."

The honey one scuffed and faced forward once more. Silence rang over the group for another couple of minutes before the honey creature couldn't take it any longer.

"So what kind of a dog are ya?"

"Shut up!" the white creature seethed.

Yuugi shrunk back at the angry tone, but his body froze when the black being holding him tilted his head to the right and growled. The sound vibrated through Yuugi's smaller frame while the emotion froze his blood. It wasn't angry, nor irritated: it was serious.

Despite the sound, the white wolf growled to himself and faced forward; meanwhile, the honey creature perked up with his head high.

"The name's Jonouchi," it greeted.

Yuugi's mouth opened, but it closed again before he found his voice, "...Yuugi."

The brown wolf up front let out a bark of laughter, "I knew you smelt foreign. It was all over your family too," her lighter voice rung with amusement.

Yuugi growled at the mention of his family and bore his teeth at the female, "Don't you touch them!" the Shiba whimpered as the black wolf tightened his grip for a second, successfully silencing Yuugi.

The being to his right huffed, "You're on our territory. We'll do whatever we want with them."

Yuugi whimpered as his ears dropped. His body shook and he drew his limbs as close to his body as possible. Dread pooled in his stomach as he watched a blank expression fall over the white creatures face. Dark brown eyes stared back at him with a grave promise that sent shivers down his trembling spine. One look from the black creature had the white one turning away.

"Don't worry about him: he always gloomy," the female tried to console, "but how you act will decide what happens to your family."

Yuugi didn't want to talk anymore, so he opted to keep his mouth shut. From now on, anything he did could be used against him and thus on his family. He couldn't let that happen. Let these beings claw at him, bite him, tear him to pieces, but heaven forbid that any ill will falls upon his family.

Through the thick smell of trees, the pungent smell of these creatures became more apparent. Every tree had been marked and the ground had been littered with their massive paws, saturating the snow and dirt with their scent. Any who passed could tell who this land belonged to and none would dare to pass it.

Yuugi sneezed and his limbs curled closer. Instinct told him to turn around, that he had overstepped his boundaries, but his captors were heading to the heart of the territory. His heart began to beat in his chest and his purple eyes skittered from shadow to shadow as he watched through the falling snow.

It wasn't long until a shadow turned into another creature. Then another, and another. More emerged from behind trees and over hills only to surround their group. They all remained silent while their large, piercing eyes trained in on Yuugi.

The Shiba Inu tried to keep face by extending his limbs and forcing his ears forward, but they continued to flicker. With so many dangerous creatures around him, he could either try to fight them off or just submit; although, which one was the better option, he was still unsure of.

His captors finally stopped at the base of a massive, gnarly tree. It's trunk stretched high into the sky, its branches making a canopy over many of the surrounding saplings. No other trees grew close to the trunk, but some saplings survived the little shade it was allowed. Nestled within the roots of the great Northern Red Oak was a hole the led into the earth. He tried to see how deep it went, but the shadows clouded his view. The other creatures created a circle around the group and the tree, blocking any escape.

The creature holding him, set Yuugi down and few meters away from the oak with a perfect view of the entrance. At first, he looked back at his captors, confused, but they offered him no hints as they slunk back to join ranks with their comrades. Yuugi's ears flattened against his head and turned to face the tree. While it hurt for him to sit on his right leg, he was too afraid to move into a comfortable position.

Just as he was about to look back at his captors, movement in the tree brought his attention forward. A mass shrouded in shadows began to emerge from the entrance, but even as he stood in the light, his black fur seemed to absorb it. Its massive body radiated strength and confidence in waves that seemed to make the very shadows bend to his will.

Each step that it took seemed to shake the Earth, and Yuugi's ears permanently plastered themselves to his head. His limbs shook and his tail curled under him as the monster loomed closer and closer still. It's vanta black body stood in stark contrast with the white snow, easily outlining its muscled body and ragged fur. It's long tail dragged behind him, scarring the freshly fallen snow.

Yuugi fought to sit in an upright position as the beast drew closer and closer still with its head low. It was hunting, stalking, observing him, and Yuugi was terrified. As Yuugi's purple eyes finally drew to its face, he yelped and immediately dropped back to the floor as powerful, glowing red eyes pierced through him.

The Shiba Inu coward at its presence and kept his eyes glued to the snow in front of him. Not even when the footfalls stopped did he look up.

"State your name."

The booming baritone struck like thunder through Yuugi's body. Freezing him to the core and halting all movement. The power from the calm, yet serious tone, sent Yuugi's mind reeling as his gut fought between fight or flight.

There was a growling that rivaled that of an earthquake, "State your name."

Yuugi opened his mouth but no sound came out. When two massive, claw-clad paws settled into his vision, Yuugi whimpered before answering, "Y-Yuugi."

"Yuugi, pet to those who have threatened our land, my name it Atemu, alpha of this Dire Wolf pack. What are you doing in my forest?"

(Koobre: Hey, just to let you know, I'm going to update this story about once a month. Also, I set a challenge for myself with this story by setting a chapter limit; therefore, if the pacing seems weird, it's only because I'm trying something new. In the meantime, if you are looking for something to read I suggest _Experimental Werewolf_ by Spirithouse. This is the story that inspired _A Heart Is a Home_ , so if you like this one, I know you'll like that one. Until the next chapter.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch 3 Alpha, My Alpha**

Yuugi eyes widened, but he kept his gaze glued to the powerful paws inches from his face, "Dire Wolf…?" he whimpered out.

The rumble above him silenced any more thoughts, "You are a pet to those humans, so you have the ability to drive them out and the knowledge of what they are planning. You will tell me or those humans will talk."

Yuugi yelped and dared to look up into red eyes, "Please, don't hurt them!"

Another growl from Atemu sent Yuugi's gaze back to the ground, "Their safety depends on your actions, Young Pup."

Yuugi didn't respond and instead whimpered his acknowledgment. Fear gripped his core and tangled his heart. Blood pumped in his veins and his muscles froze, afraid that the slightest twitch would set off the mighty being above him. Atemu was over twice his size with more muscle and speed than he could ever hope to have; not to mention, the palpable aura saturating the ground and air around him and seemed to make the trees quake.

Dire wolves. They weren't supposed to be real: they were supposed to only exist in that cursed book of Mahado's. They weren't supposed to be here, so close to his family. They weren't supposed to be walking this Earth. He couldn't believe -he didn't want to believe- yet his eyes did not deceive him.

These creatures were no normal wolf and held an air of authority and power that no other being had. Their energy was unrivaled, but their existence was unknown. How. How could they have survived? How could they be here? How would he ever keep his family safe?

Tears began to collect in Yuugi's eyes at the thought of his family. This alpha made his anger and intentions clear. His family was not welcomed on this land, nor was any other human; however, Yuugi feared that he lacked the power this Dire Wolf desired. What was he, a simple Shiba Inu supposed to do? What if he didn't have answers to his questions? There was nothing he could do to stop an attack on his family if they got angry.

He needed to keep them safe. He needed to keep them safe. He needed to keep them safe. He needed to keep them safe. He needed-

Yuugi's brain froze as a large, black nose sniffed at the tears falling down his cheeks. Even though he could feel their intense stare, Yuugi didn't dare look at the crimson eyes mere inches from his face.

The nose moved up his head before continuing down his body. The cold nose pressed into his soft, orange fur, and Yuugi made sure not to make any movements. Atemu continued to sniff his body -his chest, front legs, neck, back, thigh, tail- before stopping at his rump.

The Dire Wolf was standing over Yuugi while he sniffed back up to the Shiba's thighs. Yuugi tried hard to hold back any noise during the inspection, but it was getting harder and harder to stay still with the throbbing pain in his back right leg. It didn't help that his tense muscles stressed the bite mark that pressed into the snow; unfortunately, Atemu found it as well.

Yuugi shivered when he felt a rough tongue on his injured leg. There was a moment of silence before he felt Atemu straighten and face the crowd all the while standing directly atop Yuugi.

"Continue with the day. Until sunset, Yusei shall coordinate the pack," Atemu's voice carried through the silence to the rest of the Dire Wolves who began to slink away into the shadows.

Yuugi watched as the crowd began to thin, leaving only Atemu, himself and the black wolf who brought him here. The latter and Atemu stared at each other for a moment longer before the other nodded and followed the pack. All that was left was Atemu and a terrified Yuugi.

The alpha walked off of the Shiba before he stood behind him, "Get up," Yuugi hesitated, "Get up!"

Not needing another warning, Yuugi shot to his feet, ignoring the protest from his leg. Despite the upright position, the smaller continued to keep his head forward with his eyes to the ground. He felt Atemu nudge his rump forward and he had to stumble in order to keep his footing while his tail curled further between his legs.

"Move closer to the tree, it will catch the wind."

Not looking back, Yuugi began to walk towards the looming tree; however, when he tried to set his injured leg on the ground, he hissed and curled it close to his body. He waited a moment to gain his balance before he started to limp the rest of the way. Behind him, Atemu followed, not rushing the slow pace nor commenting on the injury.

The closer Yuugi got to the tree, the less wind brushed against his face as the massive roots broke its flow. The entangled roots dug deep into the earth and stretched out to the circle of trees around them, creating small hills capped with snow. Most of the snow remained intact and untouched, leaving frozen waves upon the roots and creating sturdy overhangs that shielded from the elements.

Yuugi hobbled closer to the roots and cast a wary eye down the den under the tree. He couldn't see much from the dim lighting, but he could tell that it went deep under the oak, probably enough to tap into some of the Earth's heat.

A breeze whistled through the trees and knocked down some clumps of snow. Yuugi paused to watch the snow while keeping a close eye on the overhang in front of him. When the wind settled and the overhang still stood, he continued closer until he was standing beneath it.

He shivered as he settled into the new space, grateful for the reprieve of the wind and snow. It was a small space, enough for him to stand without fear of knocking down the snow, but it wasn't large enough for any Dire Wolf to fully enjoy. Yuugi wanted to look at Atemu, but he kept his eyes lowered and his ears low.

There was silence between them as the Dire Wolf watched Yuugi. Not knowing what to do and too afraid to start anything, Yuugi remained silent and settled into a semi-comfortable position in the snow. His paws were beginning to feel cold and his fur was no longer repelling the water, making him damp. As another wind blew, the root absorbed most of the cold; however, a snowdrift carried over his make-shift roof and dusted his orange fur. Yuugi shivered in an effort to shake the snow off, but it stuck to his wet fur and began to chill his skin.

Yuugi whimpered and lay his head on his front paws, trying to shield them from the wind. He tried to tuck his back legs under him as much as possible, but the wound on his right leg was making it difficult to keep them warm. He wanted to shift his hips in order to relieve the pressure from his wound, but doing so would leave his back vulnerable to the Dire Wolf beside him. That left him with kicking his legs outwards towards the stranger, but that left his paws more vulnerable to the cold while pressing the wound into the snow.

The Shiba Inu began to shiver as he contemplated his situation. He loved the snow and he loved the cold; however, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay out here too long. If he did, he wasn't sure if he would be able to walk: let alone feel his paws. There was only one time before where he stayed out too long in the snow where his paws almost froze. It was the first time the Motou's took him to their cabin and they let him play in the snow.

Mana had let him out after dinner to play without telling her parents. Yuugi had enjoyed the experience and refused to come inside when Mana called him in. She didn't fight his happiness and allowed him to continue playing, but she soon forgot him as her young attention was pulled inside. It didn't take long for the cold to set in and for Yuugi's paws to turn numb.

Back then, he had panicked and tried to whimper for help, but they didn't hear him. He cried and cried, even barked to try and get their attention, but they were distracted and never heard his pleas. As more fear settled in, he had tried to run to the door, but he stumbled on his numb paws and collapsed in the snow. He had been too weak to stand and too frightened to do anything but whimper and cry in the snow as he watched his new family laugh and play through the living room window.

Back then, he began to think that they would never hear him and they would find his frozen corpse in the morning, so he closed his eyes and began to cry. However, when he opened his eyes again, he was sitting next to the door while hurried feet shuffled from inside. Azura had opened the door and scooped him into her arms before bringing him inside and fussing over him senseless. Mana had been scolded and never again had he been let out with permission. Yuugi never knew how he managed to get to the porch and he never questioned the miracle that the gods had graced him with.

But he was afraid that he was all out of miracles now. Not only was he a long way from home in a strange land, but his family was out of reach and there was no way he would be able to keep warm in the bare elements. If the Dire Wolves didn't find him useful, maybe they would abandon him in the snow and leave him to freeze to death.

The branches above rattled as another gust of wind bore down on the land. Yuugi braced himself and tried to curl as close to the root as possible while he waited for a wind that never came. Violet eyes blinked open before widening as he saw Atemu's large body lying in the snow beside him, blocking the snow drift and wind.

The vanta black fur rustled as the snow dusted the muscled body, but the owner remained unfazed by the elements. Atemu stood strong with his head high and his red eyes boring down on the Shiba's frame.

"Tell me, Yuugi, what are you doing in my forest?" Atemu's baritone voice jostled Yuugi less from its suddenness and more from its casual tone.

Yuugi shifted so his feet kicked out towards Atemu and settled his gaze on his freezing paws, "My family came here from Japan for vacation. We typically do this every year."

"So I've noticed," the other responded quietly, "Are there others?"

Yuugi hesitated and curled in on himself. He didn't want to tell this Dire Wolf about the Kaiba's and Gozaburo's plan, but he also wasn't sure if lying would be the best option towards Atemu. Under that penetrating gaze, Yuugi was sure the other saw right through him.

"My pack only uses the one cabin here," his eyes shifted towards black paws before diverting back to his own, "B-but there is also Gozaburo Kaiba and he has… other plans…." Yuugi's voice began to trail off into a whisper, but Atemu heard him.

The alpha growled, "What plans does he have."

Yuug shrunk at the dark undertone in the statement, "He… he wants to… expand… the land. He wants to add more…. Buildings… and cabins…."

"And people," Atemu hissed.

Yuugi whimpered, "My family and Seto don't agree with his plans," he rose his head from his paws, "They're trying to find a way to stop the development," his heart rate sped up when Atemu remained silent while anger seethed off of him, "Please, my family, doesn't agree with what he's doing!" Violet eyes locked onto crimson, fear and concern soaking into their cool depths as they faced the full wrath of Atemu's hidden rage.

The moment their eyes connected, Atemu glared, causing Yuugi to whimper and lay his head back on his paws. Yuugi's eyes began to water as he feared for the worst. He wanted to apologize to the other, but he feared doing so would only anger the larger being.

"Who is Gozaburo Kaiba?" Atemu growled through clenched teeth.

Yuugi closed his eyes, "He's a wealthy businessman in Japan. He runs an important company that's trying to extend its global reach. That's all I know."

The Dire Wolf hummed to himself as he settled back into silence. Yuugi didn't bother the other for a while, but when minutes passed and the other had yet to move, he chanced a glance towards him. After taking a deep breath, Yuugi flickered his eyes up to crimson before darting them back to the snow. The other looked relaxed with an almost bored expression, but his eyes were alight with more emotions than he could count. They were swimming with thoughts all the while observing his small frame like a hawk.

The tense quiet lasted for a few minutes longer before Atemu broke it, "What type of dog are you?"

Yuugi blinked at the question before he knit it eyebrows together, "I'm a Shiba Inu: a dog breed from Japan."

Another pause, "How close are you to your family, Yuugi?"

He wasn't sure if he wanted to answer the question, but he had to, "I owe them my life. We are as close as family can get."

Another bit of silence, "Does your family know Gozaburo?"

Yuugi gulped and licked his lips, "He's… he's the Uncle for my pack, but we don't agree with what he's doing and-"

"Hush!"

Yuugi shrunk back and bit his tongue. He knew he shouldn't have said that: he should have just answered the question. Although, he had to make sure this Dire Wolf understood that they weren't truly affiliated with each other. Yes, they were blood-related and they were family, but that didn't mean that they shared the same views. His family wasn't like Gazaburo, and he prayed that Atemu wouldn't send his pack on them simply for being related.

Once again, silence claimed the two as Atemu fell into his thoughts, leaving Yuugi on pins and needles. As time passed, he could only hope and pray that the other spared his family; however, doubt fell in his stomach like sand in an hourglass. Each second was thick with tension and the quiet rung painfully in Yuugi's ears. The cold bit his skin despite having the wind shielded from him. His heart was already pumping to heat his body, but it was under double time with the added stress and anxiety.

He wanted to move, to pace around or stretch his stiff limbs, but he didn't want to irritate the other and set off a bad mood. His paws were beginning to sting with the cold and his shivers nearly knocked him into the nearby root. His eyelids began to droop as his vision began to fade in and out. Black spots crept in at the edges while his head began to sway. Eventually, his eyes rolled up and his consciousness was lost.

()

It was warm there. Warm and soft. It wrapped around his frame like a gentle hug or a security blanket. It was weighted so it pushed on him comfortably. Secure: that was how he felt.

He remembered feeling this one other time. He was young at the time and Akhenamkhanen had just brought him home. Terrified of the new surroundings, Yuugi had hidden under the nearest object he could find: the alpha's bed. They tried to tempt him with food, toys, and sweet names, but he was too shaken to leave. He had fallen asleep under the bed, happy that there was nothing that could reach him under there: at least that's what he thought. He had woken up to the feeling of something curling around him and resting on top of him. When he stirred awake, he found Mana wrapped around him with an arm slung over his stomach. Fear has been his first reaction and he ran away, but when she started to cry he slowly crawled closer. The two had laid there under the bed for hours, sleeping, cuddling, relaxing until he felt safe enough to leave.

It was a similar feeling, but the scent was wrong. Mana always smelt like flowers and whatever colorful chapstick she stole from Kisara; meanwhile, this was woody and earthy. It was as relaxing, but it was just as comforting and slightly familiar. The soothing smell washed over him with a sense of security, so he nuzzled closer into its warm fur.

The weight shifted: it lifted off of his back, exposing him to a cold chill. Yuugi shivered at the temperature change and the weight returned. Then something warm proded his face. It poked and nuzzled, slowly stirring his hazy mind into wakefulness.

Yuugi whimpered and cuddled closer into the warmth before he opened his tired violet eyes only to be met with black fur. He stared for a moment, his mind registering the color and texture. It didn't take him long to realize that this was not Mana and he was not back home.

He yelped and tried to jump back, but pressure on his paws kept him from retreating from the Dire Wolf's form. Frantic eyes scanned his body until he saw that his paws were trapped under the other's great weight.

"You looked cold."

The Shiba Inu snapped his head up to Atemu who kept his gaze out towards the trees. Casting a quick glance around, Yuugi noticed that the other Dire Wolves had come back and where huddled in pairs around the great tree. Dead deer carcasses littered the ground while some wolves nibbled at the remaining meat.

The sight was jarring enough, but when the scent caught up to him and wafted in his nose, he sneezed. Desperate to get the smell out of his mind, Yuugi thrust his muzzle into Atemu's fur, taking a deep breath of his earthy scent and immediately felt better.

"Will you not eat?" Atemu's voice drew Yuugi away from his side enough to watch the alpha nod his head to a nearby deer that had yet to be touched.

Yuugi gazed at it for a moment longer and shook his head.

Crimson eyes glanced down at Yuugi who looked away, "We won't know when our next meal will come. It would be best if you eat now."

Yuugi cast an uncertain look at the dead animal, but his stomach churned, so he stuck his nose back into Atemu's side to breath the only appealing scent.

Atemu rumbled in his chest which vibrated through Yuugi's bone before he reached his head out to drag the deer closer. As Atemu ate away at his meal, Yuugi tried to drown out the sounds of chewing and snapping by looking around. As it were, he was still laying near the root from before, but his body had been dragged out and nuzzled into Atemu's side. His legs were trapped below the heavy body, and while the thought of being trapped by such a beast was unnerving, he had to admit that his paws were warmer. The weight across his stomach was Atemu's long tail that curled around the Shiba's back before draping over him like a blanket. Yuugi was trapped as Atemu surrounded his entire body; however, he couldn't find too much reason to complain as the warmth he provided was a great relief.

Yuugi removed his muzzle in order to get a better look at the wolves around them. From what he could see, there were fourteen Dire Wolves in total that ranged in colors from brown, grey, and black. He noticed the four that brought him here: the black wolf and the white wolf sat together over an eaten carcass. The black one looked towards the white one who growled but stood, grabbed one of the bloody limbs and began to drag it away. The brown wolf from earlier who was sitting next to Jonouchi noticed the white one moving and nudged the honey wolf. Jonouchi whined, but another look from the female and he too was dragging their bloody carcass into the woods. It didn't take long for the other pairings to notice and begin to follow suit.

The pungent odor made Yuugi wrinkle his nose, but a chuff from above brought his eyes back to Atemu. The elder had a bloody bone in his mouth with chunks of meat and tendon still clumped on it. He dropped the bone and nudged it closer to Yuugi.

"Eat."

Yuugi slowly looked at the bone and sniffed it. He recoiled, "No thank you."

"Are you squeamish?"

Yuugi shook his head, "No, I've seen worse," he smelt the bone once more. The scent burned his nose, but the longer he smelt, the better it seemed; however, his mind still fought against the idea.

Crimson eyes narrowed, "No human is going to feed you here. If you get food, you eat it. Now eat."

Orange ears folded against his small head at the harsh tone. It didn't take Yuugi another second to cave and draw the bone closer. Seeing Yuugi lick the bone, Atemu drew his attention back to his own meal, leaving the other in peace. Yuugi meanwhile, continued to mull over the idea of eating the raw meat while giving it tentative licks. Mahado had given him pieces of raw meat before, but never had they been as fresh as this. Small chunks of ground beef did not equate to a whole bloody bone still warm from the body.

His stomach churned at the thought before he pealed a hunk of muscles from the bone. It was moist and juicy, but cold from being in contact with the snow. The fresh blood was more potent than that of raw meat he had before, but it was also cleaner, thinner, and slid down his throat easily. The taste was fresh to say the least. Not quite as complex as that from at home, but the flavor was bold and simply satisfying.

His stomach, albeit unsettled form the recent events, gladly digested the food it was offered and worked hard to fight any of the impurities. The more Yuugi ate, the more comfortable he felt until he was licking the last bit of muscle and blood from the bone. When that ran out, he turned to his paws, licking them clean, then turning to knaw at the bone. The fresh bone felt good on his teeth: it was hard, like the ones at home, yet had a stronger flavor and more give. He worked it into the back of his teeth, grateful to feel them scrape together.

When he felt something move close to his face, he didn't think twice when he growled.

He froze when it growled back.

Yuugi immediately released the bone and opted to lay his head on his paws; meanwhile, Atemu continued to growl a low rumble that the Shiba could feel on his side. He began to shake when those intense eyes glared at the back of his head. Yuugi didn't fight when the bone was taken from his paws and tossed somewhere nearby.

"Atemu."

Yuugi was grateful that the other stopped growling in order to focus on the new Dire wolf in front of them. They stood a few feet away, enough to be respectful to the alpha, but close enough to maintain a private conversation. Keeping his head low, Yuugi cast sad eyes up to the newcomer and recognized it as the black wolf that carried him from his home to here.

"Has everyone been fed?" Atemu asked.

The other nodded, his deep blue eyes low and calm, "Everyone has settled for the night. Would you like me to do the first watch, tonight?"

Atemu thought for a moment, "No. You get some sleep and I will take the first watch. Bakura will take the watch after you."

The other bowed his head, "As you wish."

As the other black Dire Wolf disappeared among the pack, Atemu stood up and shook his fur. No longer hidden behind a shield, Yuugi shivered as the cold wind brushed his fur. The chill was gentle at first before it settled into a blanket on top of his coat. Yuugi drew his paws under his body and curled in on himself; however, a prod from Atemu had him up on his feet.

"Walk with me."

Yuugi's ears folded back a the thought of venturing out into the forest, especially when he noticed the sun setting and night falling, but a single glance from Atemu had him cautiously following the other. The alpha grabbed his deer carcass and began to drag it away with ease with Yuugi quick on his heels. The Shiba kept his head low and eyes to the ground, using the red stains in the snow to keep track of Atemu.

As they passed other Dire Wolves, they gave the pair a curious stare before continuing on with their evening. The wolves were still curled together in pairs, but they were closer to the tree and taking shelter in its roots. Yuugi watched with disdain at the lounging bodies, wishing that he too could take shelter from the cold wind and falling snow.

Atemu led the two of them away from the tree and down where Yuugi had seen the other wolves from before wander with their dead deer. It didn't take Yuugi long to discover why. It was away enough from the tree where the smell won't linger, but close enough to keep a safe eye on. Bones, fresh and old, were stacked in a buried hole beside a dying tree. The sent was pungent up close, but the snow masked it from spading too far.

Yuugi whimpered and took a step back as Atemu set work on adding the new carcass. As Yuugi waited, he shifted his weight, trying to keep moving for warmth, when he realized that the pain in his back leg was gone. Eyes wide, he looked down at the leg that had been bitten in the fight only to find it healed.

Violet eyes blinked and the Shiba sat down to closer inspect the wound.

"How does it feel?"

Yuugi whipped his head around to Atemu who stood watching him with glowing crimson eyes. The intensity of the stare felt unnatural and Yuugi shivered under their scrutiny. He looked away before answering, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Atemu hummed as he stalked closer and smelt the leg himself. Yuugi froze at the close proximity and relaxed when the other drew back, "I had asked for no harm to be done," he muttered.

Yuugi cocked his head and gazed at the alpha, "No harm?"

Crimson eyes regarded him before their owner began walking back to camp. Yuugi followed wordlessly, struggling to keep up with the other's longer strides in the dense snow, "When I sent them to retrieve you, I told them not to harm you, but you must have made it difficult if Bakura bit you."

Yuugi turned his head away to smile to himself. A swell of pride filled his chest at the thought of being able to stand against the Dire Wolves, but the feeling quickly faded as he remembered the end result, "Is Bakura the white one?"

The black wolf nodded his head, "Bakura, Mai, Jonouchi, and Yusei were the Dire Wolfs I sent to retrieve you."

Yuugi hesitated for a moment as anger began to rise in his chest; however, it settled into fear and he ducked his head before asking, "But why send for me?"

Atemu didn't respond; instead, he watched the Shiba's smaller frame before huffing, "Come. We have first watch tonight."

The elder began to walk off towards the camp tree, but Yuugi lingered for a moment. He watched the larger beast with a confused and desperate look. Why was the main question on his mind: why him? Why his family? Why keep him? Why help him? Yuugi wasn't sure if he would ever get those answers.

Violet eyes looked into the shadowed forest around them. The snow seemed to glow in the faint moonlight that managed to break through the grey clouds above while snow-clad trees cast long shadows. Small flurries drifted lazily onto the ground. He could try to make it back to his home: Atemu wasn't looking and all the other wolves were settling down for the night.

The Shiba Inu turned his head back to Atemu and froze when the latter was watching him. His massive body was turned so Yuugi could fully see his outline. His vanta black fur seemed to merge with the shadows and move in a foreign wind. Those powerful crimson eyes could pierce through any haze and stare into any soul, but they remained trained on the one small form in the snow.

Yuugi licked his lips and his ears fell back the longer he stared at Atemu. He couldn't sense any anger and the aura that seemed to flow off the Dire Wolf was one of patience, not malice. This only spun more questions in Yuugi's head and he whimpered softly to himself.

There was a soft pull on his mind, drawing him closer to Atemu, but fear made his legs lock and his tail to curl between his legs. He wanted to turn away and run, yet he couldn't find it in him to look away from the mighty beast a few yards away. The longer he looked, the more he noticed something moving around Atemu. It slunk on the floor, floated in the air, and swirled around the muscled form but remained invisible to the eye. Every time he tried to focus on it and track its movement, he lost it a moment later.

Another whimper slid out of his mouth as he sunk down into the snow and closed his eyes. His heart was pounding, his mind was racing, yet his nerves were shot. His mind told him to run home, but his body refused to move. His heart yearned to curl in bed with Kisara and forget this encounter, but instinct told him to stay and lay close to the black fur. When a sudden wind whistled through the trees, Yuugi let out a cry, shaking from the cold and confusion.

The soft crunch of snow drew him out of his despair long enough to see Atemu standing in front of his shivering body, a kind look in those vibrant eyes. Yuugi lifted his head from his paws and reached it forward, trying to close the gap between the two of them, but lacking the length. Fortunately, Atemu seemed to understand and closed the gap, letting Yuugi rub his head on the underside of his neck.

Yuugi enjoyed the gentle touch and soaked in the warmth the touch provided. He continued to rub against Atemu even as the other began to speak, "Come: let me introduce you to my pack."

Yuugi nodded and stood up, trying to keep as much contact with the larger body as possible. It was hard to do as Atemu stood taller than him -his back just barely came up to the bottom of the Dire Wolfs stomach- but he appreciated the constant brush of fur on fur. When they began to trudge back to camp, Atemu took up a slower speed so that Yuugi wouldn't have to struggle to keep up.

It took longer for them to get back to the main tree, but by the time the did, all the wolves had settled down with a respective partner for the night. They stopped before entering the clearing of trees and gazed over the pack. Yuugi was about to ask why they stopped when a black mass emerged from beside him: the same black wolf that carried him here.

Deep blue eyes watched them as he approached; however, Atemu noticed him and turned his head to acknowledge the wolf, "You are free to rest now, Yusei."

Yusei nodded his head, "I did a quick check of the perimeter. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Atemu nodded his head, "Good, but be warry. We don't know if any humans will be coming."

At the mention of humans, Yuugi's ears perked up and his orange head lifted to look at Atemu. The other regarded him to which Yuugi looked away, his ears now low.

"Yuugi, this is Yusei, my main Beta of the pack."

Yuugi watched Yusei nod his head in greeting to which Yuugi nodded back; the Shiba opened his mouth to say something, but when no words came to mind, he shut it and leaned further into Atemu. The two watched him for a moment before Atemu dismissed Yusei with a final nod. The Beta lingered before turning and joining the rest of the pack by the roots for the night.

Yuugi buried his face in the dense fur and took in a breath. Tears began to fill his eyes, but he blinked them away and opted to focus on the scent that filled his body.

Calming…

Atemu began to walk away, jarring Yuugi from his moment of solitude. Not wanting to lose his cover, the Shiba kept pace with the larger being. A few of the slumbering wolves stirred and gave them a lazy recognition; however, most stayed asleep and undisturbed.

They passed by quietly until the pair passed two Dire Wolves that were curled close together: one had a reddish-grey coat, while the other had a familiar white coat. Atemu paused for a moment to grab Yugi's attention and direct it towards the pair.

"This here," he began in a quiet tone, "are my other two Betas: Aki and Bakura."

Yuugi stared at the two, but only focused on the white one, Bakura, stirred awake enough to glare at him. The Shiba shied away behind Atemu at the intense stare and his leg began to throb at the memory of his bite.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Yuugi looked up at the Alpha, "Y-you have more than one Beta?"

The black wolf nodded and began walking, "With such a large pack and land, I need more than myself to protect and provide."

Purple eyes glanced back at the two and relief washed over him when he noticed Bakura had fallen back asleep, "I guess that makes sense."

Atemu nodded before pointing to another pair, "These two are Mai and Jonouchi."

Yuugi perked at the familiar name and looked closer at the pair. Both were honey-colored, with one having a darker brown coat. He indeed recognized the lighter coat wolf, Jonouchi, and while the Dire Wolf didn't strike as much fear as Bakura, he was still hesitant to get closer.

"Are they also Beta's?" Yuugi asked as they began to walk away.

"Those two are part of my subordinates. Not as high as my Beta's but still important to the pack," he nodded to the next pair of wolves, both dark brown in color, "the same goes for Anzu and Ishizu."

Yuugi cocked his head and looked at the smaller two. They were still massive in size and would tower over his own body, but they were the first of the pack to look smaller in muscle. More importantly, their fur looked more pristine and shiny, something that would surely attract any dominant male.

Yuugi shifted on his paws, "Are neither your mate?"

Atemu regarded him for a moment, "I've thought about it."

Yuugi's tail lowered and he leaned away from Atemu, "Oh."

"You don't have anything to worry about, Young Pup," Yuugi looked back to the pile where one of the wolves lifted her head and thoughtful sea eyes regarded him, "I don't think Atemu has any intention to mate with either one of us."

Yuugi's head reeled back, but Atemu cut him off before he could ask any question, "It is in the best interest of the pack for me to pick a new mate soon. Both you and Anzu are worthy."

Ishizu chuckled softly before laying her head atop Anzu's. She smiled softly at Yuugi, "I wish you the best, Pup. The winters here can be harsh."

Despite himself, Yuugi shivered at the fresh blow of wind and snow, "Back home is typically cold. I should be fine here," he lowered his head and chanced a glimpse at Atemu, "for however long I'll be here for."

The black wolf stared into the woods before answering, "That depends on how useful you are." With that, he began to wander towards the next group.

This time, Yuugi lingered by the females, watching the larger masculine form stalk off. It hadn't been the answer he was looking for or wanted, but he wasn't sure if the other would give him any more insight as to his motives. Yuugi was sure that he could survive out in this forest so long as he stuck with the pack; then again, he wasn't sure if he could truly trust the pack. They seemed nice enough, only cautious and warry in the beginning, but that was to be expected. From what he had seen from the past few hours, none of the other Dire Wolves seemed intrigued by his presence and with Atemu being so… generous, he was sure that he didn't have anything to worry about.

That being said, the other wolf continued to allude to his "usefulness" without giving him any more clues as to what that meant. When Yuugi was first taken to the alpha, he did ask about the humans and their plans for the forest, but Yuugi wasn't sure what else he could do. As loved as he was, he was still just a dog. Nothing he could do would stop Gozaburo, nor would it remove humans from the forest.

How would Atemu react when he figured that out for himself?

Yuugi's tail lowered as he thought of all the horrid ways these beasts could tear him apart.

"It would be best not to keep him waiting."

Yuugi flinched at Ishizu's soft and wise voice.

She chuckled and inclined her head towards Atemu, "Go on: you have nothing to fear."

Although Yuugi didn't agree with her statement, he picked up his paws and began to race after Atemu. The other was stopped in front of a small cluster of wolves of all colors of white, gold, and grey.

"These here are the Omega's: Ryou, Kyru, Carly, Rebecca, Marik, Bruno, and Shizuka."

Yuugi said nothing and none of the Dire Wolves awoke from their slumber; instead, he watched them with a distant look. They were all lumped together, curled close in order to leech as much warmth as possible from each other. There were heads over backs, tails by noses, and limbs tangled together in an effort to get as close as possible. It reminded him of how he used to lie with Mana, Kisara, and Mahado when they were younger.

During thunderstorms, he would be too scared to sleep alone and would go to Mana. They would then hear Kisara begin to cry and cuddle with her just before Mahado would come in to check on his sisters. Too sleepy to head back to their own beds, they would settle down into a pile and doze off until their parents found them in Kisara's room asleep on the floor in a mess of blankets, pillows, and limbs.

"Yuugi."

The Shiba looked up to Atemu with glazed eyes.

"Walk with me. We need to talk."

Yuugi froze for a moment but followed the alpha anyway. The two remained silent as they began to circle the camp slowly. Yuugi made sure to keep his gaze on the floor and his body close to Atemu's but not touching. The atmosphere was uncomfortable at best, but he feared to say anything before to other.

"Tell me a bit about your family, Yuugi."

The abrupt question jostled the Shiba Inu, then he settled into thought, unsure just how much he could tell the other, "My pack only has five members: not including myself. There are the pups, Mana, Kisara, and Mahado while Azura and Akhenamkhanen are the pack leaders," he braved a glance at Atemu, but the other gave him no hints as to his thoughts. Yuugi licked his lips before continuing, "We are a good family: quiet and loving. I've never known them to intentionally harm anyone."

"And yet they build here," Atemu muttered to himself, but Yuugi caught it. He decided not to say anything, hoping not to aggravate the Dire Wolf, "I'm assuming you've been with them since you were a pup?"

Yuugi nodded his head slowly, "They bought me when I was three from my… from the…: he paused as he searched for the correct word, "Well, Mahado always calls him a scientist," when Atemu hummed, Yuugi continued, "He used to own a lot of animals, including me, but he loved to… try new things with us. Sometimes they worked, but others…" Yuugi whimpered as he remembered the limp forms covered by white sheets as they were rolled away, "Not everyone was as fortunate as me."

"So this scientist would experiment on his animals," Yuugi nodded at Atemu's statement, "If you were one of his pets, I'm assuming for the first three years of your life, then what did he do to you?"

Violet eyes connect with crimson before they both looked forward, "Not everything he did succeed, but two of them did," he glanced up at Atemu hoping that would be enough, but the other looked at him with a tentative and determined gaze. Yuugi flattened his ears to his head before he answered, "Well, he changed my eye color, for one," he huffed as he looked down at the snow, "that was his favorite thing to do. If one couldn't handle this, then he would dispose of them."

"And the other success?"

Yuugi's eyes narrowed as he thought on this. The main question that circled his brain was why Atemu would be so interested? What would the other possibly gain from his knowledge? If the Dire Wolf wanted his family and all humans out of the forest, then the knowledge of what that man did would be a moot point; after all, his family didn't love him because of his oddities: they loved him because he was him. Then again, Atemu could just be trying to make conversation. If so, then why did those crimson eyes seem to bore into his soul like a spotlight on a stage?

"It's not a normal thing… and it's a pretty impractible thing as well," he quickly added when crimson eyes narrowed, "It was a project that the scientist had been trying for about a year with little success. I was so scared when he tried it on me, and it hurt so much for the first few months…" sadness clouded Yuugi's eyes as flashes of memories long forgotten rose to the surface. He shook, trying to repress them, but he could still see bright magenta eyes staring up at him.

Yuugi came to a full halt as those haunting eyes refused to leave his brain. Magenta eyes, grey coat, bright smile, bloody paws, broken bones, white sheet…

"Yuugi."

Yuugi shuttered as concerned crimson eyes snuck into his view. They regarded him with patience as the elder awaited an answer. The Shiba Inu had to take a deep breath as he tried to use those crimson eyes to push away the long forgotten memory. It was easy to get lost in those strong ruby orbs: easy to feel enveloped in the support and silent understanding they held, but it was not as easy to null the ache in his heart.

Yuugi wanted to look away from Atemu, but he feared what he would see if he looked away, "The scientist… he…" Yuugi took a deep breath and released it, "... his intentions were good, but his drive was insatiable," when the Dire Wolf's eyes narrowed in confusion, Yuugi smiled, but there was no joy, "He gave me the gift of life, but took away my firstborn."

The Dire Wolf paused as the words settled over them, dripping with dread. Yuugi knew that he didn't need to explain any more: he knew Atemu understood. Yuugi steeled his body while his emotions raged inside of him. He didn't want to cry, nor did he want to linger on the topic for much longer. He had already told Atemu, a complete stranger and his captor, more than he should have. He did not want to give the Dire Wolf the pleasure of seeing him even more vulnerable.

The black wolf nodded his head, breaking eye contact to close his eyes, "I apologize for your loss," when his eyes opened again, they reflected the sadness Yuugi felt, "It is a pain that I have felt before."

Yuugi was silent for a moment, "I'm sorry."

Silence reigned over them as they were left to their own thoughts. Yuugi, trying to push those images back into the depths of his mind, took the time to focus on Atemu who seemed to be battling his own ghosts. It was hard to tell in the dark night and through the black fur, but Yuugi noticed subtle movements on the other's face. A twitch of an eyebrow, a downward tug on the large muzzle, a soft bristle of fur, each movement concealed as quickly as it came. Yuugi would have found Atemu's antics amusing had the atmosphere not been as dense as it was.

There was a grim feeling that radiated off of the black Dire Wolf and fluctuated in his uncertainty. Yuugi's unease continued to build the longer the two stayed quiet. Something was brewing in Atemu's mind, but Yuugi didn't have the slightest inkling as to what that could be or if it could hurt him. Maybe the other was calculating what to do with him. Maybe through the shared loss, Atemu would decide to spare him when he realized Yuugi was useless otherwise. Or maybe Atemu was disgusted and wanted Yuugi out of his presence as soon as possible.

Yuugi whimpered as his tail lowered. Maybe he shouldn't have told Atemu about his oddities…

The alpha straightened and looked Yuugi over, "Your family must be very important to you then."

The Shiba warily nodded his head, "They took me in knowing what the scientist had done and took care of me. I…," he paused, wondering if he should continue; however, one look into those crimson eyes and he made up his mind, "I don't know what would have happened to me had they not cared for me."

"A strong bond then."

"Had Kaiba not discovered and stopped the scientist, I would still be there."

Atemu growled, "Kaiba? As in Gozaburo Kaiba?"

Yuugi cowered at the fury that sparked in blood red eyes, "S-Seto was the one who found and saved me, b-but he is… Gazaburo's son."

Something flashed in those crimson depths, and Yuugi took a step back as all emotion calmed in Atemu's eyes. The black wolf settled as he retreated into his thoughts, mulling over what Yuugi had said. Fear caused the Shiba's heart to race as he watched Atemu as he prayed to whatever deity up there that the other wouldn't hurt him.

A baritone hum sounded from Atemu as he turned away from Yuugi, "It seems you still serve a purpose. Play nice and your family will remain unharmed; however, if they overstep any boundaries, then their lives are forfeit as well as yours."

Yuugi's eyes widened, "What?" he gasped.

The alpha began to continue their patrol, "Come. I have more questions."

Yuugi balked as Atemu continued to stride away. That was a direct threat to not only him but his family. _His family_. He just threatened a group of people who would probably be worried sick over their lost pack member and would probably try to find him in this forest. Would this wolf seriously hurt his family for trying to save him? They didn't even know such beast as this existed until a few hours ago! And for this… creature to move on as though he had done nothing wrong… it was insulting, alpha or not.

Yuugi could understand the initial fear of humans invading the territory and fighting for their safety, but Atemu has shown that he understood more than the common wolf. Surely he understood that in his families mind, the Dire Wolfs were the ones who struck first and stole a pack member. Did he seriously not expect them to at least look for him? Could he not let them go even after Yuugi pleaded tot he Dire Wolf that they disagreed with Gozaburo's advancements? Would he not consider that they shared different motives from the businessman?

Violet eyes narrowed at Atemu's retreating back. If this wolf would not even consider giving his family a chance, then he wouldn't blindly follow. As terrified as he is, and as strongly outmatched as he is, he was his families only hope to stay alive, but he couldn't do that from here. He couldn't protect them here. They needed to know and they needed to know now.

Taking a deep breath, Yuugi twisted his body and took off at a sprint into the woods. His direction was blind, but he knew he needed to get away from the camp, so he ran into the darkness. It was difficult to gain speed in the high snow, but his adrenaline pushed his limbs higher and faster until he was nearly gliding between the trees.

Behind him, he could hear the distant pounding of paws that were gaining ground. Growling to himself, Yuugi dodged and a tree only to let out a yip as the snow crumpled and he was sent rolling down a hill. His limbs failed as they tried to find purchase in the loose snow, or at least to slow his decent, however, his efforts only caused more snow to come loose. Eventually, he hit the bottom, nearly bumping into a tree as the snow settled on top of him. The Shiba Inu struggled to his feet and shook the snow from his body. Glancing upward towards the top of the steep hill, he could see Atemu's form pacing at the top, his crimson eyes alight with anger.

Yuugi shivered at the glare before breaking off into another sprint. He knew it wouldn't be long before Atemu found a way down the hill, so he had to use his time wisely. Outrunning the Dire Wolf was out of the question and fighting was not an option. That left him with hiding and hoping that the beast wouldn't find him. Tossing his head as he ran, he whimpered when all he saw were trees and snow: nothing to hide in.

He weaved between a few trees, hoping to but him more time as he struggled to find a hiding spot. Purple eyes lit up when he noticed a fallen tree and he forced himself to move faster. When he was finally there, he raced around the length, searching for a crack in the bark that he could wiggle into; however, his hope died when he came upon nothing but solid wood. He sulked for a moment before his fear peaked at the sound of distant running.

Desperate for some cover, Yuugi ran over to the upturned roots, hoping to dig a hold under and hide there; however, his eyes widened when the noticed there was already a hold dug underneath it. He paused, looking warily at the decent sized hole, he could easily fit inside, but he wouldn't see where it ended. Orange ears flattened in uncertainty, but a nearby growl had him scampering into the hole and deep in its depths.

The pungent odor of mud and earth filled his nose as he crawled deep and deeper inside. He finally stopped when he was far away enough to be hidden, but could still see the entrance. There was still space that led further into the earth, but Yuugi's fear kept him from traveling deeper.

The footfalls drew closer before slowing to a stop. Yuugi waited with bated breath as he watched the entrance with wide eyes. His pulsed thumped in his ears and his lungs strained from the lack of oxygen, but he was determined not to move a muscle.

Four black paws strode into the opening, the black fur nearly merging with the growing darkness. The seconds that passed felt like an eternity as Yuugi watched the figure frozen by the tangle of roots.

Yuugi shuddered as his stale breath expelled from his chest when the paws disappeared from sight. He could still hear the crunch of snow as Atemu wandered around the tree, but they were growing quiet. Not wanting to take the chance of getting caught, Yuugi curled up into a ball and tried to settle into the dirt. His tummy rumbled and he buried his nose under his paws. He would be able to eat when he got home, but for now, he could wait.

As the seconds passed with no notice from the Dire Wolf, Yuugi began to relax and take in his surroundings. It was warm in the ground, and while he didn't like how the damp dirt clung to his fur, he could deal with it. It was clean for the most part, but there was a very strong scent surrounding the walls. It was familiar in its wild, savory scent, but Yuugi couldn't quite remember what it was.

Curious, Yuugi began to press deeper into the ground. As he crawled on his stomach in order to keep his noise low, Yuugi took note of how wide the tunnel was. It was larger than him to the point where he could easily stand and still not touch the roof. It even looked like a Dire Wolf could easily fit in the space and still have some room.

Narrowing his eyes in thought, Yuugi paused and sniffed the air. The scent was only getting stronger and he could finally hear some noise from in front of him. It was heavy breathing along with what he could only assume was a tongue licking. Yuugi crept forward another inch despite the alarms going off in his head.

Then it hit him: the scent, the size of the tunnel, the location… it was a bear's den. And judging by the rousing sounds just a few feet in front of him, it was an occupied bear's den.

Yuugi flattened his ears and tried to lower himself as close to the ground as possible. From what he could hear, there were two bears, one of which was awake; fortunately, neither one had noticed him yet. If he was quiet, then he would be able to crawl back towards the entrance before dashing out and finding a new hiding place: that is, so long as Atemu had moved on to a new location.

Slowly and with held breath, the Shiba began to twist his body around to start his journey back to the top. The bear had yet to stir any more than it had and continued to groom itself, oblivious to the dog crawling away. Yuugi finally turned himself around and was about to crawl away when his stomach let out another rumble. The licking stopped.

Yuugi lay frozen like a statue, pressed against the moist earth of the bear's den. He tried to control his breath but between his heart pounding and his mind racing, he could do little to control his heavy breaths. There was a rustling as something massive shifted. Then it began sniffing. Then it began walking.

Not caring if the bear saw him anymore, Yuugi jumped to his feet and took off at a full sprint up the tunnel. The bear fumbled behind him before following him up the tunnel. Yuugi thanked the gods for his smaller size as he traversed the path with ease and exited the den before the bear. Breaking from the warm tunnel and jumping into the frigid snow, he whipped around to get a glance at his pursuer. He began to shake as he locked eyes with a 300 pound, Canadian Black Bear.

Yuugi shrunk back but couldn't tare his eyes away from the beast as it emerged from the tunnel and watched him with its beady eyes. The Shiba's legs began to shake as his body froze up despite his brain telling him to run. This bear was bigger than the Dire Wolves and while he had seen them before, never had he stood five feet away from its hulking presence.

The Black Bear huffed through its nose before it lifted its front legs and pounded the snow, sending up a white puff, and roaring at the quivering dog. Yuugi yipped at the deafening roar before he whipped around and began to scurry away.

A part of him prayed that the bear would leave him alone that all it would do was scare him away and go back to its den; however, he was not so lucky. Between the thundering paws and the heavy breathing that followed behind him, Yuugi knew that the bear gave chase and he was once again running for his life.

Yuugi stretched his legs, bounding over the snow as he tried to put as much distance between them as he could. He dodged behind trees, jumped over stumps, but the bear never let up. It continued to race after him, gaining speed.

Yuugi glanced over his shoulder to gauge their distance and yelped as he realized their gap was quickly shortening. The Black Bear, while just a silhouette amongst the shadows and snow, ran after him with the force of a tidal wave and the intent of a hungry lion. This bear would not forgive him for trespassing and it would certainly not let him get away now.

Violet eye focused on the ground ahead of him while tears began to well up in his eyes. His body still hurt from his earlier fight, his stomach was growing hungry from the lack of food and overexertion, and his stressed mind began to fray as it ran out of options. He needed to run, he needed to get away, to get back home, but he would never get that chance now.

Yuugi let out a sad howl in a last attempt to call for help that he knew would never come. There were no creatures in these wood that would risk their lives against a Black Bear for his lowly life, his family was miles away, and all the Dire Wolves would be too indifferent to care about him. He was alone and he was faced with a danger that would show no mercy.

With pure adrenaline pulsing through his veins, Yuugi prepared to leap off the ground and over a fallen tree; however, he didn't notice the smaller roots that surrounded the tree and protruded out of the snow. His foot caught and he yelped as he tumbled down before he could leap over the tree. His small body rolled in the snow until it crashed against the fallen tree, causing some lose snow to fall on top.

Purple eyes struggled to focus as the world continued to spin, their owner swaying as he tried to steady himself. Yuugi shook his head free fo the cold snow, but that only made his vision worse as black began to creep into the edges of his view. He began to panic as he jarred his head from left to right, hearing the raging force barrel towards him and seeing a mass of black close the distance between them.

Yuugi tensed as he braced for the feel of claws digging into his side and tearing out his guts, but the paws never fell; instead, a second black mass jumped over the tree and Yuugi's prone body before slamming into the Black Bear and causing it to stumble back. Yuugi watched in awe as the two forms slunk away from each other as they raced to their feet. The bear stood a few meters back while, standing in front of Yuugi with his head hung low and a permanent growl in his throat, stood Atemu.

The Dire Wolf's hackles stood high and a pulsing aura rolled off his frame like waves. It lapped at the snow, drawing the shadows closer and Yuugi was sure if he could see his eyes, they would be glowing with an unholy light.

The bear roared at Atemu who gladly snarled back, snapping his jaws and stepping closer. The bear took a step back before it rushed at Atemu. The Dire Wolf growled before he lunged at the bear and scratched at its face. The bear tried to swat at Atemu, but the Dire Wolf was too quick and dodged the attack. He circled the bear and lunged at it as it tried to follow Atemu's hidden form. The bear growled as Atemu sunk his teeth into its neck and with a strength Yuugi had never seen before, yanked the bear towards the ground where it fell.

Atemu bound out of the way as the bear scrambled to stand up again. When the Black Bear was upright once more it glared at the Dire Wolf who returned to his stance in front of Yuugi. The bear stood on its back legs and roared at the pair, saliva spewing from its jaw and nearly reaching the two. Atemu growled and pounced his front paws in the snow before snapping his jaws in the air.

The bear raced towards Atemu once more, but Atemu remained where he was. Three hundred pounds of bears came barreling towards the two, and Yuugi watched in fear as Atemu only kneeled closer to the ground, growling as the bear drew closer. Closer, closer, and closer the bear drew, and soon Yuugi couldn't take it anymore.

Frantic violet eyes flickered between the bear and Atemu before freezing on the bear who was in front of them, standing on its back legs, ready to swing its deadly blow, "Atemu!"

The Dire Wolf barked at the bear before he sprung off the ground at lightning speed. Their bodies collided as Atemu sunk his teeth into the bottom of the bear's neck, causing the other to roar in pain. The Black Bear stumbled back at the force and the two went toppling down, the bear landing on its back with Atemu on top. The Dire Wolf released the bear on impact and lunged off the body to stand in front of Yuugi once more: ears back, head low, and growling.

The bear struggled to roll over and stand on its feet. When it did, its beady eyes regarded the pair once more. All it took was one bark from Atemu and the bear began to sulk back into the woods, merging with the shadows.

Heavy breathing from both Atemu and Yuugi filled the otherwise silent night. Yuugi blinked after the bear with his mouth hung open; however, he immediately coward when Atemu growled and turned his furious gaze on him.

"What were you thinking?!" Atemu snapped.

Yuugi whimpered and dropped his head, "I'm sorry!"

Crimson eyes glowed in their fury as he snapped his jaws at the Shiba Inu, "Do you know what that could have done? You could have died! You could have frozen to death if you got lost!"

Yuugi lifted his head and locked his sorrowful violet eyes onto raging ruby, "I just wanted to go home!"

Yuugi's plea echoed through the forest as the two continued to stare at each other. Silent tears filled Yuugi's eyes before running out his cheeks, his body shivering from more than just the cold; meanwhile, Atemu's growls began to calm and his fur began to settle into its natural state.

Atemu sighed and closed his eyes: the shadowy aura around him dissipated, "You can't go home."

"Why? Why can't I go home? Please, I just want to be with my family," Yuugi cried, he pleaded with all the sorrow he had in his heart.

When Atemu opened his eyes, they were looking a the ground. He waited for a moment before he turned his body away, "Come. There are many dangers lurking in the forest. We had best return to the pack."

Yuugi tried to protest but the words only ended in a helpless squeak. He watched Atemu's form begin to slink away, this time, however, he stopped in order to wait for Yuugi. The Shiba Inu trembled as he watched Atemu's form and when the other refused to budge, he let out a heartwrenching wail that echoed throughout the whole forest.

(Koobre: Hey, I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed my story so far: it really does inspire me to keep writing and lets me know that I'm doing a good job. Considering I take this very seriously, I always feel like I have so many problems and I'm never fully satisfied with what I put out, so to hear y'all happy makes this worth it. In order to thank you all for keeping up with this and reviewing, I'm going to give y'all a gift; however, I'm gonna make it fun. I have two characters in this story that are not in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise but are from another famous anime and game franchise. If you can tell me who they are and where they are from, I will write a one-shot to whatever you want so long as it is blind/puzzle/monarch/mobiumshipping. Only one person will win and the first to get it wins. Details will come after there is a winner, but it ends when this story is finished. Good luck!)


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch 4 Home**

Yuugi shivered as he curled in on himself, close to the root. Even though the sun shone clear in the sky, the wind was harsh and carried its arctic chill with it. While he spent his time trying to hide from the breeze, the Dire Wolves around him carried on with no problem.

Not many bared him any mind as they wandered around keeping light conversation and lounging around. Some dared to venture into the forest either to walk or hunt, but most stayed by the tree. Yuugi tried to ignore the twisting pain in his stomach by watching the Dire Wolves, but alas, a rumble from his tummy told him it was not to be ignored.

It had been about three weeks since he was taken here and he had heard no activity of any humans coming near, nor had any attacks from bears arisen. Life was quiet and docile here, and while Yuugi was thankful for it, it also left him with nothing to do. Atemu was always about the pack, watching and guarding before slipping into the den under the tree. Neither of them talked to each other, and it was starting to grate on the Shiba's nerves.

None of the other Dire Wolves had stopped by to talk, and that left him waiting for one of them to make the first move. A part of him feared that if he were to say anything out of line, it would snap whatever patience Atemu had for Yuugi and they would kill him; therefore, Yuugi kept to himself, shivering, quiet, alone, and hungry.

Another growl and his stomach flipped, causing Yuugi to whine. True to Atemu's word, the pack didn't eat that often. They would go about two days before they would hunt for fresh food and bring it back; however, some breaks were longer between meals. Any leftovers and bones would be buried as extra rations: sometimes a Dire Wolf, with permission from Atemu, would snag a bone to hold them over, but Yuugi was too afraid to ask.

Sighing, Yuugi closed his eyes and buried his nose under his paws. He tried to imagine being back at the cabin, curled up by the fire. Kisara was petting him while Mana and Mahado poured over that stupid book of theirs all while Azura cooked a delicious, mouthwatering dinner. The salty smell of roast beef mingled with sweet carrots and broth while garlic bread toasted in the oven. Fresh gouda cheese was grated for a garnish while parsley and rosemary were chopped for seasoning.

A soft thud drew his attention out of his mind and to the brown figure in front of him, "May I join you?" the female wolf asked.

Yuugi stared at her, taking in her beautiful fur and slimmer body before he remembered it was Anzu. Looking down on the ground, he noticed there were two frozen, bloody bones, still with meat clinging to the sides. Salvia pooled on his tongue, but Yuugi tore his eyes away from the bone and nodded his head, "Sure."

Anzu smiled before laying down beside Yuugi, her form, despite being smaller than the others, still towered over Yuugi's, "Please, help yourself."

Yuugi glanced at the bones and then back to her, eyes wide with brimming hope. When she nodded her head in confirmation, he eagerly batted the bones closer, "Thank you."

"I was afraid you weren't eating enough and I never see you go over tot he pile, so I just assumed."

Yuugi licked his lips, "I wasn't sure if I was allowed to."

Anzu shook her head, "As long as you're with the pack and you're not greedy, no one will mind. Besides, you didn't grow up in this life, so you're no use to this kind of schedule," Yuugi grunted a response as he focused on chewing. Cobalt eyes stared at the other Dire Wolves, "Atemu's worried."

Yuugi paused his eating to look at the ground, "I'm sure he would be if no humans have tried to attack."

Anzu snickered, "I'm not talking about the humans."

Yuugi's brows furrowed, "Are we short on food?"

Anzu shook her head as she crossed her paws and lay down, "No, we are quite lucky this winter. Normally they're worse."

Yuugi wracked his brain of whatever little knowledge he had, "Well… Maybe…" he thought for a moment more and tilted his head, eyes trained on the bone in his paws, "Ishizu said something about a mate…" he turned his crooked gaze towards Anzu, "Has he picked either you or her?"

Anzu let out a bark of laughter, "You're close, but no: he's not going to pick one of us."

Violet eyes widened, "Why not? Doesn't the alpha need a mate in order to keep the pack going?"

Cobalt eyes turned towards the sky, "Oh, he's been keeping the pack going for a very long time already," she slid her gaze towards him, "Besides, he has other things to worry about."

Wary of her knowing-stare, Yuugi drew his attention back to his bone and began to chew. The two fell back into silence as Anzu allowed Yuugi time to eat in peace. None of the other Dire Wolves seemed to care about their presence, although some stopped by to talk to Anzu. No one bothered Yuugi as he ate despite him making small noises of approval during the conversations. Caught up in eating and listening, Yuugi almost caught Atemu trotting out of the forest and into the circle.

His eating slowed as Yuugi trained his eyes on the alpha who nodded at passing pack members. Most of them nodded back while others only chuffed in acknowledgment. Atemu slowed when he found Yusei who was lying next to the grey wolf named Aki. Both rose their heads at his approach before the alpha spoke in a hushed tone. Yusei nodded and began to stand, but Aki nipped at his ear, keeping him in place. The two shared a look and quiet words before Yusei settled back down and Aki stood up. Atemu nodded at her before she walked around the pack snagging Ishizu and Marik before they head out into the woods.

"You should go talk to him."

Yuugi jumped. Blinking, he looked around and noticed the Dire Wolves Anzu had been talking to were gone, leaving him and her by the root, "I'm sorry?"

She smiled and nodded towards Atemu, "You should go talk to him."

Yuugi reeled back, "And say what?" his ears drooped and his head lowered as sad violet eyes gazed at the black Dire Wolf, "I don't think he would want to talk to me."

"Why would you think that?" she asked in a soft tone.

Yuugi narrowed his eyes at the snow, "Because I tried to run away. Because I'm a pet. Because my family is encroaching on his land."

Anzu hummed and kicked her back legs out for more comfort, "All that may be true, but Atemu has moved on. He doesn't really hold a grudge."

Yuugi shook his head, "It doesn't matter. I'm sure when spring comes, he'll be rid of me. Maybe sooner if I tick him off."

Anzu rose her head to give him a stern look, "Hey," Yuugi rose his head to look her dead in the eye, "No matter what Atemu says, he will not kill you."

Yuugi gave her a few more seconds before he lowered his head, "You don't know that," he grumbled.

"Fine, if you don't believe me, then ask him."

Yuugi rolled his eyes, "Do you think he would tell me something like that? Right now, I'm his enemy, so why would he tell me something to give me comfort?"

"Humans, time, and hunger are Atemu's enemies: you are merely a stepping stone."

Yuugi nodged the clean bone away and pawed the next one closer, "Great, I love being used."

"Okay, that came out wrong," she sighed and looked back to where Atemu lay down, head high and crimson eyes ever watchful over the pack. She smiled, "Atemu has a knack for seeing what is special in a being. If you truly were a means to an end, he wouldn't have kept you past the first day, but if he's kept you alive and _safe_ here, then there must be something special about you."

Yuugi growled, but cut himself short, "I wouldn't call being stuck with your captors in a freezing forest 'safe'," he grumbled before he sighed, "But I do appreciate the protection from the bears and starvation."

Anzu tilted her head to look at him, "I thought you liked the snow."

"Well, yeah, I do like snow, but not when-" he paused, his eyes slowly sliding to hers, "How did you know?"

She smiled, "Intuition," she then nodded her head toward Atemu, "and Atemu told me."

Yuugi shook his head, "How did Atemu know?"

"Go and ask him."

The Shiba recoiled at the suggestion and looked down at the discarded bones. Situating the bloody one between his paws he sighed, "I guess I'll never know."

The two fell into silence once more while Yuugi finished off the second bone. Try as he might, Yuugi couldn't help but let his eyes roam to the lounging figure of the alpha as he ate. Every once and a while, crimson eyes would stare back, but Yuugi made sure to avert his gaze the second they connected. When his bone was finished he tossed it beside the first bone. He was just about to lay his head down and nap when Anzu spoke up.

"Do you want to play a game?"

Yuugi's orange ears perked immediately and he couldn't stop his tail from wagging, "What game?"

Anzu giggled and stood up. She leaned forward and grabbed one of Yuugi's discarded bones while covering the other with some snow. Winking at Yuugi she tossed the bone into the center of the pack, "Bone Bite!"

Yuugi's eyes widened as the remaining Dire Wolves sat up, ears perked and eyes alert. Some bound to their feet before their eyes honed in on the discarded bone. The mere seconds of silence were pregnant with anticipation. Heavy breathing, wagging tails, and patience…

"Three nips and you're out!"

The silence broke out into utter insanity as a golden blur raced forward and snatched the bone off the ground. Several other streaks of fur took off after Jonouchi leaving Anzu, Yuugi, and Atemu the only still bodies at camp.

When Yuugi looked to Anzu, her eyes were sparkling with mirth, "Get the bone and keep it away from the other wolves. If you get nipped, you drop the bone and another pack member will grab it. If you are nipped three times, you are out: last wolf standing wins," she waited for him to nod before taking off in a sprint after Jonouchi.

Yuugi remained in the snow, staring wide-eyed at the mass of Dire Wolves running through the trees. The image would have been terrifying -a raving rampage of wild beasts- but there was something so jovial and youthful in the appearance that he couldn't help but smile. Any growls where light-hearted and followed by laughter while any dirty play was quickly discarded: it was true unbridled play.

He rose to his feet, observing the situation. As fun as it was to watch them, he knew that he wouldn't be able to keep up with their speed, so he had to be careful, he had to be strategic. His eyes narrowed as he watched the pack round back, about to split through the camp. He lowered his body and tensed his muscles. Just a little closer. As soon as Jonouchi broke through the tree line and into the clearing, Yuugi sprung into action racing to cut off the Dire Wolf and missing the watchful crimson eyes that tracked him. A smile on his face and a pep in his step, Yuugi surged forward, successfully cutting off the golden Dire Wolf. Jonouchi stalled as their eyes met and Yuugi smirked to himself. With a sharp turn, Yuugi nipped at the side of Jonouchi's neck and the other dropped the bone. Half a second went by and the bone was picked up by Bruno.

"Man, I'm already out," Jonouchi grumbled, but Yuugi paid him no mind.

With keen eyes, Yuugi watched Bruno dodge a nip from Carly and Ryou before surging forward. He dodged around a tree to cut them off, but Anzu was in front of him and nipped his neck. The bone was released, but before Anzu could pick it up, Shizuka swooped in and stole the bone. They were rounding back towards camp, but they would have to jump over the roots.

Yuugi quickly ran to a root and buried himself close to the snow, he was sure Shizuka didn't seem him, but only time would tell. When he heard their thundering paws drawing closer, he rose up, prepared to pounce. At the first sign of golden fur, he lept out of his hiding spot and nipped at her unsuspecting leg. He heard a yelp and the thump of the bone on the snow, but he continued to run forward and out of the way.

The Shiba Inu circled back and watched the pack run. Kyru was the one to hold the bone, although it wasn't long until he was nipped and the bone was dropped. Rebecca picked it up and took off around the tree. Yuugi watched her for a moment before running parallel with her; They were still a good ways apart, but he knew she would turn and run into him eventually.

True to his thoughts, Rebecca turned and began to run towards him, but her grey-blue eyes widened when she noticed his smiling face. Yuugi barked happily as he charged at Rebecca who skidded to a stop; however, she wasn't fast enough to turn around. Yuugi nipped her chest and broke off into the crowd of Dire Wolves. Dodging under the massive bodies and weaving around their legs, Yuugi laughed to himself, fully engrossed in the game of play.

It wasn't long before another Dire Wolf was taken out of the game. Ryou was out next, followed by Rebecca and Carly. Yusei stepped out on his own just before Shizuka and Anzu were out. Bruno and Kyru were the next to be nocked from the game, leaving Yuugi, Mai, and Bakura.

Yuugi knew that Mai had only one nip before she was taken out, Bakura had two to be knocked out and Yuugi still was untouched. Mai currently had the bone and was running around the massive tree with Bakura close on her heels. Yuugi waited by the opening of the den until he saw the two figures race in front of him. Just as he was about to jump out and nip Mai, Bakura shouldered him and nipped Mai on the butt. She yipped and dropped the bone before Bakura grabbed it.

Mai sulked over to the rest of the pack who all sat around Atemu, watching the rest of the game play out. Yuugi panted as he found his footing once more. Bakura took a deep breath and saliva dripped from the edge of his jaw. The two locked eyes.

Yuugi wanted to back down at their intense gaze, his fear from his kidnapping rising to the forefront of his mind. Bakura had been the one to injure his leg and he was the one that seemed to have some sort of problem with Yuugi; however, Yuugi wasn't one to back down from a challenge. This was just a game, after all.

Steeling his nerves, Yuugi leaned his chest down, paws spread and his butt high in the sky. His curled tail wagged happily as he smiled and tilted his head. Bakura narrowed his eyes, but Yuugi didn't give up. He sat his butt down and, with the tail still wagging, army crawled up to the white Dire Wolf and bated at the bone. Bakura rose his head out of the way before taking off in a sprint. Yuugi yipped before giving chase.

It didn't take long for Yuugi to realize that his normal strategy wouldn't work with the white wolf. It was easy if he had the whole pack to distract the Bone Holder, but when it was one on one, it was up to pure grit; however, Yuugi knew that he wouldn't be able to beat Bakura in a race or a tussle, so he had to think of something else.

Yuugi tossed his head to the side and noticed that they were going to pass by the main tree again. Breaking from his trial behind Bakura, he scurried towards the roots and hide under the snow. He could hear Bakura's paws approach, but they then began to slow to a stop. Yuugi froze as he heard Bakura sniffing. Some of the other wolves were snickering to themselves while others waited with bated breath.

When Bakura growled and turned around, Yuugi knew he wasn't fooled and burst from his hiding spot. He leaped over the roots but tumbled to the ground as he lost his balance. Bakura rolled his eyes and continued to run, leaving Yuugi alone to struggle to his feet. The Shiba shook his body of the snow before his focus was set back on Baura. The White Dire Wolf was set on a steady pace around the outside of the clearing, and by the prance in his step, Yuugi knew the Wolf thought he had won.

Violet eyes narrowed and Yuugi crouched low to the ground, using the roots and snowdrifts to hide form Bakura. He crawled among the roots, using them as cover while he crawled closer towards the treeline. The Dire wolf was getting closer, Yuugi could hear him. Knowing the other would smell him before he had a chance to get too close, Yuugi sprung off the ground and broke off towards Bakura.

The two locked eyes, violet on russet, and Bakura glared at his challenger. Yuugi folded his ears back when Bakura increased his speed, unafraid of Yuugi's pursuit. Then it clicked and Yuugi's eyes widened. He tried to slow down by digging his heels into the snow but Bakura continued to charge forward. When Yuugi came to a full stop, the Dire Wolf leaped over the Shiba Inu and into the air.

Yuugi smiled to himself as he too jumped high enough where he could nip the elder's chest. They both stumbled to the ground, rolling a few inches away while the bone lay forgotten between them. Luckily, Bakura seemed too shocked at the maneuver to truly register when Yuugi leapt at the bone and took off.

Yuugi smiled and wiggled his head in excitement. While he knew it wouldn't be long before Bakura would be on him again, he wanted to enjoy himself for a moment. He even took a gander at the pack in front of him and he felt a swell of pride at their dumbfounded yet impressed expressions. The Shiba wagged his tail before flinching as he heard thundering footfalls behind him.

Picking up speed, Yuugi continued his track towards the resting pack with a sense of urgency. No one moved as he began to weave around them, nor when Bakura began to leap over the resting bodies. Panic filled Yuugi's system as he broke from the pack and began to run to the circle around the camp. All too easily, Bakura caught up to him and nipped his ribs. Yuugi yelped and dropped the bone before stumbling to the ground, but as Bakura scooped up the bone, the two locked eyes and Yuugi could see the underlying anger beneath indifferent brown irises.

The white Dire Wolf crossed in front of Yuugi, purposefully kicking up snow in the Shiba Inu's face. Yuugi bristled and rose to his feet, huffing. It was one thing to be a sore loser, but it was another to be disrespectful and bitter, and he would not take to that treatment kindly.

Taking a few steps forward, Yugi waited until Bakura crossed in front of him again before giving chase. They continued to go in circles, but nothing Yuugi did worked. If he hid in the roots, Bakura would turn around, if he tried to race head-on, the other would dodge around him, and if he waited behind a tree, Bakura would stand as far away as possible until Yuugi began to run again.

Yuugi wouldn't have minded the long-game had Bakura not been bitter the entire time. Any chance he had to kick snow in Yuugi's face or push the Shiba Inu into the ground, he did before taking off at a speed Yuugi knew was no longer "just playing". The Shiba was getting frustrated, but his determination kept him going: no way was he going to let a cheater win a game meant for fun.

They were making another turn around the tree and were racing right towards the pack. Some of the Dire Wolves had lost interest in the game and began small chatter while some continued to engage in the battle. Yuugi was breathing heavy and his heart was pumping. His legs begged him to join the pack and lay down, don't expend what little food he had, but he couldn't: he couldn't let Bakura win.

Yuugi let out a bark of despair as Bakura glanced over his shoulder, a dark gleam in his eye before he took up more speed. With a soft whine, Yuugi began to slow, hoping to stop and make a plan, when a yip from Bakura drew him and the packs' attention.

Ahead of him, Bakura was frozen, the bone dropped from his mouth and his wide eyes staring at one of the wolves from the side. Yuugi slowed to a trot and came up behind the white wolf just in time to hear.

"You're out."

Following Bakura's dumbfounded gaze, Yuugi's eyes widened when they befell Atemu's smirking figure gazing at Bakura. The white wolf remained where he was for a moment longer before he broke his gaze to look back at Yuugi. Bakura growled before he hung his head and stalked away from the pack leaving Yuugi subject to Atemu's gaze.

Yuugi swallowed as mirth-filled crimson held his stunned violet. Some of the Dire Wolves around them began to walk away, but others remained and engaged in their own conversation.

Yuugi licked his lips and averted his gaze to the ground, "Thanks."

"I normally wouldn't interfere, but Bakura was getting out of hand," Atemu commented with a nod of his head.

Yuugi glanced towards where the white Dire Wolf ventured off but found nothing, "It's fine. It was just a game anyway."

Atemu hummed as silence fell between them. Yuugi picked at the snow with his paw, absently kicking the discarded bone. The silence turned sour the longer no words passed until the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. The Shiba kept his eyes to the ground, but he could feel the alpha's stare bore into his skull like a laser.

Yuugi took a step back, prepared to walk back to his root, when Atemu stopped him, "I'm sorry."

The Shiba paused and looked up at Atemu, "What for?"

Atemu gave him a level stare, but when Yuugi offered no response, he glanced towards the pack, "For dragging you away from you're home."

Yuugi dropped his head, "Oh," he opened his mouth and closed it as he struggled to find the right words, "It's… well, it's not nothing, but I'm sure you had your reasons," the words tasted bitter on his tongue, and when he forced a smile on his face it felt strained.

Atemu watched him for a moment more before he snapped his head towards the remaining Dire Wolves around them. He let out a low rumble to gain their attention and, when he had it, nodded his head away towards the opening. The pack members understood and moved from their stop out into the clearing. Some sat by the tree and others picked up some light play in the center, giving Yuugi and Atemu enough space for them to talk in private while being able to keep an eye on the pack.

The black wolf tilted his head to the spot beside him, "Sit."

Yuugi obeyed and padded over, laying right beside the massive beast. At first, there were a few inches between them, but when the wind blew and the snow began to seep into Yuugi's fur, he pressed against Atemu's side. He sighed happily, enjoying the content warmth the other gave off, and he couldn't help himself when he nuzzled against the thick fur.

A deep chuckle made Yuugi recoil and look at the ground, "Sorry, I'll stop."

Yuugi jumped when he felt Atemu reach over him with his muzzle and pull his smaller head against the black fur, "You don't have to stop if you're cold."

Yuugi nodded his head and settled into a comfortable position with as much of his body pressed against Atemu's as he could. Moments of silence passed, only to be broken by Yuugi's sigh, "I never thanked you."

Atemu kept his gaze on the rough-housing Dire Wolves, with his head high and eyes focused, "What for?"

Yuugi blinked up at him, "For what happened a few weeks ago… with the bear," black ears flickered towards him, but crimson eyes remained forward. Yuugi looked away, but continued speaking, "I know it was my fault for running away, and that you're probably really mad at me for it, but you didn't have to save me from the bear. You could have let it tear me apart if you were angry enough: it's not like I'm much use to you," he let his voice trail off, but as he did, he felt burning eyes stare into the top of his head like the summer sun on a hot day.

"Yes, I was mad," Yuugi lowered his head and flattened his ears as Atemu kept talking, "But I would never let anything harm a member of my pack."

Yuugi braved a glance towards Atemu, but quickly shot it back to the ground, "I thought I was your prisoner, though."

Atemu finally took his eyes off of Yuugi, "In a way, yes, but only in the sense that you are confined here. You are allowed to eat and interact with us as much as you want, even sleep where you want, you just can't leave."

Yuugi bit back the whimper he had and lay his head on his paws. The question he had bubbled in his throat before it stuck in his mouth, "Then…" he swallowed and took a moment to gather his thoughts, "Then why keep me here? How can I help you? I'm just a dog."

Atemu growled through his sentence, "One must never limit themselves to what they can do," he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The elder continued to speak, without the growl and with a study voice, "Look at my pack."

Yuugi obeyed and raised his gaze up to the frolicking Dire Wolves. It was Ryou and Rebecca who were playing in the center with their tails wagging and their mouths open. Jonouchi was watching them with glowing eyes and a smile before he turned and nodged Shizuka who was in a conversation with Anzu. The two females looked at him before falling back into their conversation, ignoring his pleas to play. Kyru, Carly, and Bruno were huddled together and dozing in the afternoon sun while Yusei and Bakura stood beside each other, their watchful gazes scanning the woods for any danger. It was then that Aki came back with Ishizu and Marik, the latter of the two ran over to Jonouchi and started up their own play.

"Who many Dire Wolves do you think are alive?" Atemu asked, jostling Yuugi from his thoughts.

Yuugi blinked, "Well, I thought they were all gone and had died off a long time ago. Then Mana's book said that there were some still roaming the Earth, but I didn't believe her," he smiled at the pack in front of him, "I guess I was wrong."

"Not completely," Atemu commented with a somber tone. Yuugi gazed at him from the corner of his eye as the other continued, "It is true that Dire Wolves are gone and should be extinct, but here we are, thousands of years later and we stand as the last of our kind."

Yuugi nodged Atemu's shoulder softly, "I'm sorry."

Atemu acknowledged him with a soft hum, "It is because of that fact that I will do anything to keep us alive."

Yuugi recoiled but kept his gaze on the black fur in front of him, "Is that why you hate my family?"

There were seconds of silence as Atemu thought on his words, "Hate is more of the reaction than the core."

Yuugi furrowed his brows, "I'm sorry?"

Crimson eyes briefed Yuugi's form before returning to the pack, "Through my time on this planet, I have come to realize that change is something that I can't avoid despite any efforts I use. A river will still dissolve a mountain when given the time," he let out a bitter chuckle, "Yet, I have also realized that I have nowhere else to run with my pack, and with no more options, hate is an easier emotion to feel."

Yuugi hesitated as he allowed his cheek to rub against Atemu's fur, "I understand."

"Without any more options and a pack to keep safe, the thought of being driven out of our home again," Atemu paused to let out a breath, "As the alpha, I'm supposed to know what to do, but most importantly, I'm supposed to keep everyone safe. How am I supposed to do that when I have no means to do so?"

Violet eyes closed as Yuugi scooted close enough to rub his head under Atemu's jaw, "How long have you been running?"

The Dire Wolf rested his head atop Yuugi's and sighed, "Ever since I have been alpha, we have been running."

Yuugi opened his eyes only to close them when he could only see fur, "How long have you been alpha?"

Atemu chuckled, sending shiver's throughout the Shiba's body, "A lot longer than you could imagine."

Yuugi's tail began to wag as he rubbed his head into Atemu's broad chest, "You can't be more than ten years old."

"Ninty."

Yuugi blinked as he paused, mulling the word over. He retracted from his position to look Atemu in the eye, "Ninety?"

Atemu smiled, "Thousand."

"Ninety… thousand?" Yuugi gaped. When the other nodded, Yuugi looked back towards the pack, then back to the amused alpha, "Ninety-thousand?!"

"Give or take a few years, but yes, ninety-thousand," Atemu confirmed as he crossed his paws.

"Are you all-? Or is it-? But you-? How can-? Why-?" Yuugi stuttered as his eyes continued to flip back and forth between Atemu and the other Dire Wolves.

Atemu let out a bark of laughter that drew some attention, but a small nod from the alpha and they paid him no mind, "The other's in the pack live normal life spans. Only I have cheated death for this long."

Yuugi shook his head, "I still don't understand-"

"And you don't have to," Atemu cut him off, a stern glint in his eyes. Yuugi silenced at the stare, his ears lowering. The Dire Wolf sighed and looked away, the stern glint quickly fading, "It doesn't matter anyway. At the time, it was meant to be a gift from the Gods, but I've come to realize that it is their worst curse."

The Shiba Inu watched the other as he seemed to stare off into his own thoughts. Silence fell over them like a thick blanket, both comforting yet suffocating. Yuugi wanted to break the silence and soothe Atemu, but he wasn't sure what he could do that wouldn't anger the Dire wolf; therefore, he remained silent, longingly watching as the elder lost himself to his own memories.

Atemu's chuckle was soft as it broke the quiet, "You have very beautiful eyes."

Yuugi crinkled his nose, "They aren't right, though. Whatever that scientist did made their color change, and that's caused many humans to turn away."

There was a pause, "I like them," crimson eyes slid down to Yuugi's and held the youth's gaze, "They remind me of a gem back from my home. It wasn't very popular, but it was one of my favorite things about humans."

Yuugi tilted his head, "What was it called?"

Atemu smiled as his eyes softened, "Amethyst."

The Shiba Inu smiled back, "Where was your home?"

The alpha turned his head away to gaze up into the sky, "Back then it didn't have a name, but humans have come to call it Peru. Had it been up to me, we would have never left," his chuckled bitterly as he lowered his gaze to the ground, "Sadly, I don't think it is the same way I left it."

Yuugi licked Atemu's cheek, drawing a surprised look from the other, "I'm sorry," he leaned into the Dire Wolf's side, "I guess that's why you hate humans so much: they drove you out of your home."

Atemu shook the surprised from his eyes and leaned into Yuugi, "Not quite. While they have bee the biggest reason for our migration up here, there were many reasons we had to flee," he hummed as he thought for a moment, "You don't have to hear it if you don't want."

Yuugi shook his head before laying it across his paws, "I don't mind."

"Very well," Atemu lay his head atop Yuugi's and waited for the latter to get comfortable before continuing, "I had just succeeded my father in taking the alpha's place. It was dark times anyway in the land, so to add taking care of the pack on top of that was nerve-wracking. So many other packs were slowly dying off through starvation, tar pits, and not being able to breed. It wasn't just Dire Wolves, either. Saber Tooth Tigers, Mammoths, Cave Bears, and Mastodons were struggling alongside us, just fighting to survive. Man was only a minor threat back then, and we had to worry more about the land around us.

"It was changing slowly, but drastically. My father saw it coming and told me about it; however, when we tried to warn the others, they shrugged it off. I guess they had so much on their minds already, it was easy to forget about a distant threat," Atemu chuckled, "The only problem was that it wasn't so distant. The weather became warmer and the lands were flooding. I knew that we wouldn't be able to stay, so I began to move my pack North and we followed the cold. So many laughed at us and scoffed at us, saying that we were abandoning their land. They never realized that the land was no longer theirs.

"Man was becoming smarter and their thrill for larger game was strong. Nothing was safe from man's spear, and while some Dire Wolves fought back, they would lose the long run," Atemu growled to himself, "I even lost some pack members during our travels," he sighed, "It was a long journey, and some of my pack second-guessed my leadership. Those were the ones who left only for us to find their skins on a human's back as they picked berries," his crimson eyes drifted towards his pack, "I've seen so many generations of Dire Wolves within this pack, and I've seen our numbers dwindle slowly as my offspring struggle to last in this snow.

Yuugi blinked, "Your offspring?"

Atemu chuckled, "Yes. As only the alpha hs the right reproduce, all of my pack are my children."

Yuugi squirmed to get his head free, but when he did, Atemu lay his head on his black paws while Yuugi stared at him aghast, "You've been mating with your own daughters?!"

The alpha hummed and let his languid gaze meet Yuugi's, "I've had little other option. I've tried to let other's be alpha in the pack, but they eventually die and I am left to fill their place. Besides, many agree that my years of being alive have given me the upper hand in surviving this land."

The Shiba lowered his head beside Atemu's, the shock slowly leaving his gaze, "I guess that makes sense."

Atemu rested his head back on Yuugi's, "I agree that it has been an unsavory decision at times, but as long as my pack stays alive, I have no quarrels with it," his voice lowered to a whisper, "Although, it seems my efforts will all be for not if I can't figure out this human development on our home."

Yuugi mewled as he cuddled closer into Atemu's fur. The heat radiated off the Dire Wolf and soaked Yuugi's fur, warming his skin and his heart. A feeling of security washed over the youth as he felt Atemu curl around his smaller body. The long tail curled around and lay atop his paws, sheltering them from the snow and encasing the smaller body in a comforting embrace. Violet eyes closed as he basked in a feeling that bloomed in his chest and heated his insides.

Yuugi smiled, "I know there isn't much that I can do, but I would like to help."

He felt Atemu shift closer, "You already are."

Yuugi wiggled his head just enough to lick Atemu's cheek, "I mean I want to willingly help. No strings attached."

Yuugi felt Atemu's breath hitch before he let it out in a whisper, "Thank you."

Yuugi smiled as he allowed himself to slowly drift off into the first comfortable sleep he had in a while. Just as the last bit of consciousness left him, he felt a warm tongue lick his cheek before Atemu settled down beside him.

(Koobre: I will admit, this chapter feels a little weird, but I'm okay with it. I needed to have an in between chapter before in order for the next one to make more sense, but I'm happy with how this turned out. I hope you like it too. There is still time for the competition if you are interested, and it will stay open untilt he end of the story or until someone wins it. Util then, pease review and I will see you in the next chapter.)


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch 5 Broken Home**

"Got ya!"

Yuugi yelped as he was tackled to the ground. He squirmed to get out from under the heavy paw, but when it didn't let up he began to giggle, "Ryou, let go!"

"What did you say? I couldn't hear you," Ryou smiled as he leaned forward, putting a little more pressure on Yuugi's chest.

The Shiba Inu continued to smile as he wiggled under the sure grip. When his friend refused to let up, he opted for batting his paw in the White Wolf's face. Ryou leaned up to dodge the attack, accidentally releasing some of the pressure on Yuugi's ribs.

Yuugi yipped triumphantly as he rolled out from under Ryou and took off running. His friend chased after him once more before Yuugi was tackled once more. This time, however, Ryou lay his body atop Yuugi's to keep him from moving.

"Not fair!" Yuugi yipped as he tried to lift his body with little success.

Ryou giggled, "This is what you get for taking me out in Bone Bite."

"Well, you kept stealing the bone!" Yuugi gaped as he struggled to free himself.

"That's the game, silly," Ryou quipped as he nipped Yuugi's ears.

This Shiba yelped at the nip and tried to dig himself out. Noticing the efforts, Ryou nipped the other's shoulder before placing his paws over Yuugi's. Huffing in frustration, Yuugi tried to twist his body around so he could attempt to push Ryou off; however, his efforts were quickly thwarted as the larger being nipped his neck.

"Ryou, get off," Yuugi whined.

"Not until you apologize."

"Ryou!"

"I can't hear you!"

A sharp bark from Atemu froze their play, "Yuugi, Ryou, that's enough."

Ryou flattened his ears as he released Yuugi and wandered back towards the rest of the pack. Yuugi stood and shook the snow from his fur before he turned to face the oncoming pack. Even in the midday sun, the pack of Dire Wolves looked as menacing as shadows in the night.

It had been a few weeks since Yuugi was captured, but he was no longer keeping count. His fear of the Dire Wolves lessened with each day as they integrated him into their own daily life. He was allowed on hunts, games, and the occasional pack walks. In the evening, when they went to bed, he had no problem finding a place to sleep in the warmth of the pack; although, whenever Atemu wasn't on guard duty, he slept by the alpha's side

That was how it was for most of his days. When he woke up, he would often be beside the other. Then Yuugi would wander and play with the other pack members, namely Anzu, Jonouchi, and Ryou. When he wasn't playing, he spent his time beside Atemu, be it lounging in the snow or joining him on his scouting trips around the camp. Neither complained and with no disapproval from Atemu, Yuugi had no intention of stopping.

The Shiba Inu wagged his tail before he bound over to the walking Dire Wolves. Some smiled as he passed, but no one stopped him as he raced towards Atemu's side. Once there, the alpha smiled as Yuugi rubbed his head against the other's side.

"You didn't have to do that," Yuugi commented as he settled into a trot beside Atemu.

Atemu nodded, "True, but I didn't like it."

Yuugi couldn't help but smile as he glanced up at his alpha. Crimson flickered to violet before focusing on the area ahead of them. Feeling his gut stir with a warm emotion, Yuugi brushed against Atemu's side once more and beamed when the other leaned back.

Two blurs of color ran past the pair before tumbling to the ground in a whirlwind of snow. Atemu sniffed the air once before shaking his head and continuing the walk. Yuugi glanced at the rest of the pack, noticing how Bakura and Yuesi were only a few feet behind him and Atemu while the rest of the wolves were spread out in the trees. They traveled in different pairs and at different speeds, but as long as they saw their alpha, then they were fine to do as they pleased.

With the rest of the pack unfazed by the tussle in front of them, Yuugi refocused his gaze on the flurry of fur. Twin furs of gold twirled in the snow, each fighting for purchase a top the other. Atemu and Yuugi where nearly past the wolves when they finally settled into the forms of Jonouchi and Shizuka.

"That's twenty-three for me and eleven for you," Shizuka boasted, her body tall as she stood above her brother.

"Ah, ya know I was just going easy on ya. Next time ya won't be so lucky."

Shizuka puffed out her chest, "That wasn't luck, that was pure skill."

"Ya wanna see skill? Check this out!"

Shizuka yelped as her brother pushed off the ground and tackled her to the ground. By the flurry of snow around them, Yuugi knew they were at it again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Atemu look over his shoulder towards Yusei. Catching his alpha's eye, Yusei nodded his head and stopped walking so he stood beside Jonouchi and Shizuka. He sat out of the way of their tussle, but close enough to intervene if things got out of hand or if they strayed too far from the pack.

With his Beta watching over the wolves, Atemu returned his watchful eye to the rest of his pack.

"So," Yuugi prompted, "Where are we going today?

Atemu hummed, "Not far. Just away from camp."

Yuugi bumped their shoulder's together, drawing Atemu's attention, "What's on your mind?"

A deep chuckle was his response, "Many things are on my mind, young pup."

"Yuugi crinkled his nose, "I am eight years old, you know."

Atemu smiled as he turned his head to face Yuugi, "And I am over ninety thousand years old, so to me, you are a young pup," to seal the statement, he licked Yuugi's nose drawing out a yip of surprise.

Yuugi shook to rid himself of the pleasurable feeling creeping up his body, "Whatever you say, vampire."

Atemu gave him a funny look, "Vampire?"

Yuugi nodded, "It a creature from Mahado's book," he looked at his paws in thought, his brows furrowing together, "I don't remember much about them, but I remember that they did live forever," he shivered in disgust, "and that they drink blood. It took Kisara weeks before she was able to walk around without a garlic necklace."

"Sounds vile," Atemu muttered. He cocked his head as he looked at Yuugi, "What else was in that book?"

Yuugi bound forward and turned around to look Atemu in the eye while walking backward, "There's this creature called a Banshee that cries whenever someone is about to die, and there are little things called Will-O-Wisps that guide people to something, I don't quite remember," At Atemu's quirked eyes brow, Yuugi laughed and bound to the left before he began to circle Atemu as they walked, "There is also a Chubakarba that is supposedly a wolf that drinks blood, then there's the Yeti," he jumped in front of the Alpha and stood on his hind legs, his front paws reaching towards the sky, "It's a massive best covered in fur that hides in the mountains," falling back to the ground, he smiled at the bemused Dire Wolf, "and that's just scratching the surface of what was in the book."

Atemu chuckled as he nudged Yuugi forward, "They sure sound like some threatening beasts."

Yuugi shook his head with an excited smile, " Not all of them were bad! There were some really nice ones too," the Shiba ducked under Atemu, appearing on the other side, "Pixies, Unicorns, Pheonix's, Faries, and Mermaids also supposedly live amongst the world, hidden from view."

Crimson eyes rolled while their owner smiled, "You don't truly believe all those, right?"

Yuugi's trot slowed and his head lowered as he began to lag behind, "Well, Dire Wolves were also in the book, and I didn't believe those existed."

It was Atemu's turn to stop, allowing Yuugi to scamper ahead. When the alpha didn't follow, Yuugi turned back to look at him.

Crimson eyes were skyward as he slowly nodded his head once, "I suppose that's correct," he began to walk once more, giving Yuugi a side glance as he passed.

Yuugi whimpered as he bounced after Atemu, "That's not to say that all of those creatures exist. I guess you all were lucky."

The Dire Wolf stayed silent for a moment, "Where did your family get the book from?"

Yuugi tilted his head in thought, "I wasn't there when he bought it, but Mahado had come home from his school with the book in hand. Mana took a fascination with it at first, but Mahado hid it from her," he chuckled to himself, "Unfortunately, Mana's curiosity kept her determined and eager to share her stories with Kisara."

Crimson eyes slipped down to Yuugi, "I'm assuming that didn't end well?"

Yuug shook his head, "No. Kisara was always so terrified after every story. For weeks she would refuse to open closets or have her parents check under her bed. Any dark rooms, she refused to enter until the light was on. Her fear often made her subject for bullying at school."

Atemu tilted his head, "What's school?"

Yuugi perked up and his tail began to wag, "It's a place where people go to learn. It's always fun to see the kids running around, they always get excited when I go with Azura to pick up Mana and Kisara," his ears dropped, "But it wasn't easy for Kisara, at first. Aside from being so scared, she also looked so different from the other kids. It was easy for them to pick on her or scare her by trapping her in the bathroom with the lights off."

A repressed growl from Atemu drew Yuugi's attention to the other. His head was low and his eyes were narrowed, "Is she the one with the silver hair?"

Yuugi nodded, "She has always been so pale that people-" he paused and shook his head, "How did you know she had silver hair?"

Shaking off the angry stance, Atemu turned his head towards Yuugi, "I've seen your family."

Yuugi stared at him with a quizzical look before realization washed over him, "That's right, you've probably been watching us to make sure we didn't get close to your home."

Atemu looked away as he nodded, "At first, yes, that was the reason," his eyes closed as he chuckled to himself, "But I have to admit, it was fun to watch you."

Violet eyes were wide as he stared aghast at the Dire Wolf, "Wait, what?"

"You didn't think I would let humans live near us without keeping a close eye on them, did you?" he smirked, "It was easy to tell when you had come back because the deer would hover around the house. All we had to do was watch the deer and we knew we needed to watch the house. I couldn't always be the one to monitor you all, so I had Yusei, Bakura, and Aki keep a close eye on you all with the orders not to pursue unless threatened."

Atemu chuckled bitterly, "It was hard to convince Bakura that children playing outside were not a threat to his safety, but he followed orders and never attacked," his smiled was bittersweet as he lowered his gaze to the snow, "For as angry as I was, I couldn't help but watch as you played with your family and frolicked in the snow. You seemed to love it so much, rolling in the snow and catching the snowflakes, that I was always so happy to watch."

His smile dropped, "I had been watching that house, long before you showed up, but I remember the day you came clearly. It was cold in the dead of winter and night had already fallen. I was planning on heading back to the pack when the door opened and you were let out. The girl kept looking over her shoulder to the rest of the family who remained oblivious to what she was doing. You were so excited the moment your paws hit the snow.

"You bound off the porch and rolled around, careless to the dangers around you. You were having so much fun, that you even refused the girl's attempts to bring you in," he paused as his eyes narrowed, "I grew so worried when you remained outside. You were so small, so new, and so oblivious that I was…" he took a moment to collect his thoughts, "It… hurt to watch you begin to cry and bark. I knew something was wrong, but the last thing I wanted was to endanger myself and the pack. I still had to keep my family safe; however, as the minutes passed and your family remained inside, it was becoming harder to watch.

"I kept telling myself to just let you be, that maybe then the human's would leave," he took a deep breath and stopped walking, "The moment you collapsed in the snow, I knew that I had to do something. I waited until you were silent before I crept closer. You were so small, I could have easily… it was… hard to pick you up, because I was sure that your neck would snap in my jaws.

"I was so conflicted as I carried you back to your door and lay you down," he shook his head, "Maybe it was because you looked so much like one of my own pups, but I wanted to lie beside you to keep you warm; I almost brought you back to my pack," Atemu shook his head, "In the end, I scratched the door and bolted for the trees, uncertain if you would even be okay," he locked eyes with Yuugi, a small smile on his face, "It wasn't until Yusei reported back the next day that you were running in the yard, that I knew you were okay."

Yuugi was speechless. He could only blink at the other as the words replayed in his mind again and again. His brain worked hard to connect the dots or find a fault in the sincere words, but when he found none, they finally began to settle. Tears began to collect in his eyes, and while he tried to convince himself it was because of the wind hitting his dry eyes, he knew it was so much more than that.

He vaguely registered the rest of the pack members passing by the immobile pair, but his attention was solely on Atemu. The black wolf looked braced for an attack as his unmoving eyes bore into Yuugi's. Despite his stoic features, puffed chest, and stiff legs, Yuugi could see the emotions flickering in those ruby depths.

Cautious not to set off the Dire Wolf, Yuugi began to walk forward and close the gap. Atemu made no sign for him to stop, but his irises shrunk back with each step Yuugi made. In the winter wind, Yuugi could feel the tears as they fell down his cheeks and freeze to his fur. When he was finally close enough, Yuugi rubbed his head against Atemu's chest, barely registering the perfect fit they made.

"Thank you," he whispered as he buried his face in back fur.

Atemu didn't respond and instead rumbled quiet enough for only Yuugi to hear and feel the vibrations. After a few more seconds, Atemu lowered his head to wrap over top Yuugi, embracing the youth. Yuugi shivered at the contact as he moved to press even more of his body into Atemu. The other didn't fight the contact and even aided in keeping close to the other and Yuugi rubbed along his side and chest.

"I would do anything to keep my pack safe," Atemu whispered under his breath before licking Yuugi's forehead.

Yuugi returned the affection by licking Atemu's jaw, "I believe that."

()

"I just don't understand how that could happen. One second, they were okay, but the next they were bitting each other's heads off."

"Mmhmm."

"It wasn't even over a bone or anything, they just had one disagreement and it blew up. You should have seen it from the beginning: maybe then it wouldn't have escalated so quickly."

Atemu hummed in response while he continued to groom Yuugi's fur. The latter was curled against the Dire Wolf, both laying in front of the den under the tree. Night had fallen an hour ago and the pack was asleep save from Atemu, Yuugi, Yusei, and Bakura.

Yuugi lay his head on his paws so that Atemu could groom his neck, "Honestly, it was scary. After you, Yusei, and Bakura left to go hunting, everything was fine. Aki was watching over the pack, Ishizu, Anzu, and Shizuka were talking. Ryou and Jonouchi were playing keep away with Marik, while Mai, Kyru, Carly, Bruno, and I were lying off to the side dozing off. I had heard Carly growl but didn't investigate when it stopped a moment later.

"We all went back to dozing -the sun was warm after all- when I heard Carly growl again. Just like before she stopped a few seconds later, but this time I stayed awake. I looked towards Aki who had her head perked towards us, so I looked over to Carly. She was lying at the edge of our group beside Bruno when I noticed that Bruno was gone.

"I was scared that he had run off or something so I looked towards the trees to see if he had slipped past us; instead, I noticed him in the center of camp, pacing with his head low and eyes on Carly. He was just pacing back and forth, slowly coming closer; however, whenever he got too close, Carly would growl at him. This time, he didn't listen, though, and kept creeping closer. I think Carly was getting scared so she barked at him, drawing all the pack to us.

Yuugi shivered as Atemu licked between his shoulder blades, "It was scary to see all the pack just came towards us, curious but cautious: everyone looked ready to attack at a moments notice. When he noticed the rest of the pack, Bruno began to growl as he glared at everyone. That's when Aki stepped in. She nipped his leg in warning, but he wasn't having any of it and turned on her! It wasn't a real bite, just a snap of jaws at her, but I hadn't seen that kind of anger before."

Yuugi shook his head, "No, not anger. Frustration, maybe? Yeah, frustration. Needless to say, Aki was trying to back Bruno off all while Jonouchi, Marik, Kyru, and Ryou were creating a makeshift wall between Bruno and Carly. Ishizu, Anzu, Rebecca, and Mai were crowding around Carly, but she didn't seem to happy with them either, so they kept a safe distance away.

"By the time you all had gotten back, Bruno and Aki had their hackles up and looked ready to throw down," Yuugi hummed in appreciation as Atemu licked his ears, "It was rather impressive how you were able to go up to Bruno and with one growl had him backing down."

Atemu chuckled, "What kind of alpha would I be if I couldn't dissolve a problem?"

Yuugi smiled, "A bad one," his smile dropped as he thought back on the situation, "I just don't understand why Carly was so mad at him. Aside from him acting weird, I don't know what he did wrong."

"Mmhmm."

The Shiba lifted his head and turned to look at Atemu, "Were you even listening?"

The Dire Wolf paused his grooming to cock his head at Yuugi, "You were speaking?"

"Atemu!" Yugi gaped, drawing a chuckle from the elder.

"I jest," Atemu soothed his laughter before continuing, "If you want to know, I can tell you what happened."

"Was it bad?" Yugi asked before he began to clean the Dire Wolf's chest and neck.

"In a way, yes, but it's not an uncommon problem," crimson eyes closed in bliss as Yuugi reached up to lick his cheek, "At least, it's not uncommon for this time of year," when Yuugi hummed in response, Atemu continued, "During this time of year, males try to reproduce with another female, and while that is a right only for the two alpha's, it is easy for the temptation to overrule a lower wolf and drive them to mate."

Yuugi pulled back to blink at crimson eyes, "Are you telling me Bruno tried to mate with Carly?"

Atemu nodded, "That is exactly what happened. Carly was warning him to back off, but because he didn't listen, she called the rest of the pack for help. Aki understands the rules and is strong enough to resist the temptation; meanwhile, the rest of the pack tried to protect Carly while making a barrier against Bruno. When I came back, I knew what was happening and told him that was enough. We were lucky that was enough for him to back down or else we could've had a fight."

"I don't think I ever want to see you in a fight again," Yuugi mumbled before he continued his grooming of Atemu's fur, "I'm glad no one got hurt."

"Yuugi?"

"Hmm."

"Have you thought about having pups once more?"

Yuugi froze before he pulled back. His gaze was hard and cold as he bore into the black fur in front of him, not wanting to see those inquisitive eyes stare back at him, "I haven't really thought about it. I'm not even sure if I can without the scientist's help."

"If you could, would you want to have pups?"

The seconds ticked by and Yuugi appreciated Atemu's patience as he mulled the question over. Minutes past before he was able to pry an answer past his dry mouth, "I-I don't know."

Atemu sighed through his nose, "I understand that pain to lose a pup. I've had to feel that many times as I've had countless sons and daughters ripped from me at birth, through disease, predator, and even time. It hurts, and it never is easy, but it does get better. When I lost my first born, she was so small and I was scared to have any more. Had it not been for their mother, I'm not sure any of the other pups would have grown into adulthood. The pain of losing her was insurmountable, but when I tried again and I was gifted with even more pups, I knew that her loss would be easier."

"You don't understand," Yuugi shook his head and closed his eyes before pressing his face into Atemu's fur, "Yami was healthy and bright and a miracle in every way. I knew the scientists were excited to see their experiment was finally a success, but I was so conflicted. I never knew Yami's father, I'm still not sure how they were able to pull it off, but all I really knew was that Yami needed me.

"Day in and day out, I kept a watch on Yami as they came, fed him, checked him, and left," tears welled in Yuugi's eyes as memories came flooding back as though they just happened, "He had black fur with cream spots on his chest and face, with these beautiful magenta eyes," he hiccuped as he let out a bitter laugh, "They were sharp, kind of like yours, but just as bright and ready to take on anything.

"Yami would bound around our cage, dying for some sort of entertainment, or something to test him. He was very clever and almost figured out how to unlock to cage door out of boredom," his voice turned soft as Yuugi tried to hide in Atemu's side, "But I guess the scientists were getting impatient. They were running out of fresh animals to test on and so when Yami was only a month old, they took him away. I didn't get to see him for three days, but when he was returned to me, he wasn't the same."

Yuugi felt Atemu press their heads together as his tail tightened around his shaking frame, "I don't know what they did to him and he was too terrified to tell me, but he smelt bad. Rancid was the best way I could describe it, and no matter how much I cleaned him, the smell never went away. He hid any time the scientists came back and screamed whenever they held him," Yuugi's ears flickered as the fresh tortured cries replayed, "When they were done and gone, Yami would hide in the corner of the cage for hours and only move to be bathed and sleep."

Yuugi paused as his words caught in his throat. His chest was tight and his heart distraught with emotions. Memories played liked snapshots in his head, rushing by in a whirl of colors but each one reliving the horrors fresh in his mind, "Then one day..." his voice sounded strained as he struggled to speak, "one day, he wouldn't move. W-wouldn't breathe," he swallowed with little success, "Blood seeped from his eyes and mouth and stained his fur. The scent," he chocked as a familiar burn crept up his throat, "t-they never moved me from there, a-and the scent lingered. To see his small body under the white sheet and the blood stains seeping through as they wheeled him away I-I-I," Yuugi shook his head, "I don't..."

"Shhh, it's okay," Atemu soothed, "You're okay."

"I know I'm gone from that place, but I-I'm not sure if I could go through that again," Yuugi cried.

Atemu rubbed his cheek against orange fur, "That's exactly how I felt when I lost Aiko. She was bitten by a snake and the poison quickly infected her body. She was too young to fight it off and I was helpless to ease her suffering. All I could do was watch her deteriorate as the life slowly drained from her eyes. It hurt so much to see her go, but I knew that she would no longer suffer. And," he pried Yuugi's head away from his fur in order to lock eyes, "I also knew that I would do anything and everything in my power to protect my pups. I knew that next time it would be different. They would have a safe home, they would be warm, they would be fed, and they would be surrounded by a loving pack."

Amethyst eyes shimmered with unshed tears as determined crimson bore into them with strength and determination that could move mountains, "I have had many mates in my lifetime, and each one I promise to not only keep them safe and protected but to keep the pups safe and protected as well. I promise that no harm would befall them as long as I live and that I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are loved and cared for. This is the promise that I pass on to you."

Amethyst eyes widened, "What?"

"I promise that for as long as your here, I will keep you safe from all harm and care for you like no other could. I promise that your nights will never be lonely and that the bitter chill of winter will never touch your skin. I promise that you will be surrounded in love and all your nightmares will be chased away. I promise that your pups will live their lives free of fear and pain. I promise that they will be showered in love and devotion every day and that they will grow as strong and beautiful as you," Atemu's eyes shone with conviction and love as they shimmered in the moonlight, "I promise all this to you and more if you would have me."

Yuugi gasped out a shuttering breath as his eyes softened, "To face both of our fears and heal old wounds: to move on from a dark past and start over with the sunrise, there is no other being I would want to do that with than you, Atemu."

To seal the message, Yuugi leaned forward and licked Atemu's forehead. The other hummed in response before he nuzzled Yuugi's closer, to which the other buried his head under the large neck. Sniffing orange fur, Atemu moved lower on Yuugi's body, licking the fur, nibbling the skin beneath, and drawing pleasant shivers from the Shiba Inu. Meanwhile, Yuugi stifled his nose in black fur and breathed in the intoxicating scent. It's warmth washed over him setting off a feeling in the pit of his stomach. The musky scent made his tail twitch in excitement as he felt the licks on his thigh.

Wiggling out from under Atemu, Yuugi stood, his excitment growing as he saw the hungry glint in crimson eyes, "Let's heal together, then."

The black Dire Wolf stood tall and proud as he loomed over the Shiba Inu. Yuugi rubbed his body along Atemu's side while the other sniffed his tail, pushing it aside to smell his backside. The Shiba shivered at the sensation while pleasure bloomed in his chest and anticipation gripped his muscles. A gentle nip on his thigh, and Yuugi followed Atemu a little ways out of camp, still close enough to be safe in case of danger, but far enough not to wake the slumbering pack.

As Yuugi looked over his shoulder, he noticed deep blue eyes watching them from camp and he knew that Yusei would keep an eye out for danger. While the idea of knowing someone was watching them made Yuugi's stomach churn, he felt better knowing that there was someone else ready to strike at any danger that may come.

A gentle rumble drew amethyst eyes back to Atemu who stood in a beam of moonlight, his black fur glistening in an ethereal glow. His red eyes cut through the shadows in order to lock onto Yuugi's and hold him still. The Shiba could only shake in anticipation as the heated gaze lit a fire in his small body.

Soft and cautious, like a panther on the prowl, Atemu sauntered over to Yuugi and circled him, Yuugi whimpered in need as he felt his own desire grow and cloud his mind. When he felt Atemu sniff his tail, sparks stoked Yuugi and he vocalized his impatience with a yip. Atemu growled in response before he lowered his sniffing to Yuugi's rear.

The youth stood still as the alpha inspected him all while his senses shot off like fireworks. The smell of Atemu surrounding him, the fell of Atemu touching him, and the sound of Atemu rumbling in approval flooded Yuugi's mind, leaving him speechless as the heavy body rose off the ground and gripped his hips.

Yuugi squirmed as the heavy weight almost forced him to the ground; however, an encouraging nip from Atemu kept him standing on shaky legs. The Shiba focused his mind on breathing while the Dire Wolf settled himself atop Yuugi's back, only for his breath to catch in his throat as Atemu easily pushed inside.

Words and any semblance of thought eluded Yuugi as the burning in his rear spread down his legs, up his body, and assaulted his brain. Pain and pleasure mingled like old friends through Yuugi's body as each pulse from Atemu's member scent new waves of warmth into Yuugi. The Shiba finally managed a strangled cry as the sensations overwhelmed him.

When Atemu began to rut the pliant body, Yuugi felt like collapsing at the sheer strength the other displayed. Had the Dire Wolf placed his entire weight on him, Yuugi was sure he would be a heap in the snow as Atemu pounded into him.

Mewls of pleasure rose from Yuugi as the burn began to grow and the coil in his stomach began to tighten. The thrusts were short but powerful as they struck parts of Yuugi he had never felt before. Just as he couldn't hold back any longer, Atemu grunted one final thrust and they both came together.

Yuugi shivered at the feeling of liquid spilling inside of him rocked his senses with its satisfying pleasure. His legs were quaking as Atemu applied more of his weight on his back and the excitement began to drain from his limbs.

"Atemu-"

"Lay down. We'll be like this for awhile."

Yuugi did as instructed and lowered both of them to the ground, whimpering as he felt Atemu move inside him with the new angle. He wiggled around, triyng to find a comfortable position, and with Atemu's help, he managed to lay safely under the elder, safe from the winter air.

"Hey, Atemu?"

"Hmm?"

Yuugi tilted his head in order to lick the underside of Atemu's jaw, "Thank you."

()

Yuugi rumbled in frustration as he forced the bone into his back teeth, yet still failing to remove the chunk of muscle it so stubbornly held. Removing it from his mouth, Yuugi dropped the bone and batted it with his paw. Once it was turned, he gripped it in his teeth and continued to gnaw away at the elusive meat.

Ryou and Anzu sat on either side of him, their meals already finished and added to the pile. They chatted idly as Yuugi ate while their eyes watched Mai and Shizuka play in the snow. Some of the wolves had gone on a pack walk, including Atemu, while the rest remained at camp under the watchful eye of Yusei.

Orange ears flattened against Yuugi's head as his violet eyes locked with those calculating blue. Yusei continued to stare until he turned his head away and stalked around the camp. Yuugi grumbled to himself all the while watching as the black Beta surveyed.

It was no secret to the group what he and Atemu had done; in fact, Ishizu, Anzu, Rebecca, Carly, and Mai all congratulated him the next morning. From then, the rest of the males acted more cautious around him as though they were afraid he would shatter if they touched him. Even Bakura kept his spiteful self at a respectful distance. It was only Yusei that seemed to watch him just as closely as Atemu did.

Yuugi was uncertain if Yusei was just overly protective due to his high status -Atemu had admitted to Yuugi that Yusei was first Beta- or if he felt obligated due to him having seen the whole thing through. At the time, Yuugi didn't mind the extra set of eyes to watch out for them in case any danger was lurking, but the black Dire Wolf had been awfully quiet with Yuugi and while he kept his distance, his eyes were always watching him, analyzing his every move. While it was jarring to have anyone but Atemu watch him so closely, Yuugi at least appreciated that the other never got too close.

Truth be told, the Shiba Inu had been rather uncomfortable during the days that passed. His muscles were sore, he always felt hungry, yet his insides seemed to twist and turn at the thought of eating or moving. He never told Atemu about the sensations, but the alpha seemed to understand nevertheless and would constantly bathe him, cuddle him, or soothe him in any way possible.

Unfortunately, the sensations grew each day.

"Hey, Yuugi, are you almost finished?"

Said Shiba rose his head towards Marik who stood a few feet away, a happy expression on his soft face. Yuugi glanced back at his bone and sighed, "I guess," he muttered before releasing the bone from his grip. With the stubborn object lying forlornly in the snow, Yuugi turned his attention to his friend, "Did you need something?"

Marik gestured with his head towards Jonouchi, Mai, and Shizuka, "We were thinking of going down to the river: want to come?"

Yuugi's ears flattened, "Who's going to watch us? Atemu's not back yet."

Lavender-grey eyes lit up as he looked towards Aki who was talking to Yusei, "Aki agreed to come."

Yuugi turned his head towards Ryou, "Are you coming?"

The albino shook his head, "No, I think I'll stay here with Yusei."

With a nod, Yuugi switched to Anzu, "What about you?"

She nodded her head to Ryou, "I'll stay behind as well. I don't really feel like exploring today."

Marik smiled while Yuugi focused on him, "It'll just be you, me, Mai, Shizuka, and Jonouchi."

Yuugi glanced over the rest of the group. If they left, and if Atemu didn't return with Bakura, Ishizu, Kyru, Carly, and Bruno, then that left Ryou, Anzu, and Rebecca under Yusei's care. A part of him realized the danger splitting up the pack would bring especially if Atemu didn't know about it, but they had gone to the river before. It's not too far from camp and with Aki's protection, they should be okay; besides, it didn't seem like they were planning to be out for long.

Yuugi sighed, "So long as Yusei says it's okay."

Marik yipped in excitement, "Yes! Aki is talking about it with him now."

They both looked towards the conferencing Betas as they talked amongst themselves. The black Beta's face was void of any clear emotion, but Yuugi could see the way Yusei's body tensed and how his ears rose. He puffed out his chest, standing tall above Aki who copied his movements. While her body was less rigid than the black wolf, it was no less imposing as the two Beta's seemed to hit a disagreement.

Finally, with a nod of Aki's head, both Dire Wolves turned to Yuugi and Marik before both strode over. Marik shrunk in on himself with his ears low and tail wagging while Yuugi remained sturdy on the ground. Even as Yusei towered over the Shiba, Yuugi refused to crumble under the intense gaze.

For a spilt-second those sharp blue eyes flickered at Marik, "You may go with the others and Aki," then he snapped back to Yuugi, "You, however, must stay."

Yuugi gaped at the Beta, "Why can't I go?"

While the face remained sturdy, a spark flashed through Yusei's eyes, "You are not allowed to go anywhere without Atemu's direct permission."

Yuugi shook his head, "I understand that he may be the alpha, but that is no reason why they get to go, but I can't."

"As his mate, he would be more devastated if you were to get hurt without him knowing where you are."

Violet eyes narrowed, "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself; besides, I'd be going with Aki and the others."

Yusei growled and this time, Yuugi began to cower. The youth lowered his head and ears while he tried to keep his gaze strong. Seeing his submissive state, Yusei silenced his growl in order to creep closer until his nose was above Yuugi's ears. Casting a warning look to the Dire Wolves around them, Yusei began to talk in a whisper that only Yuugi could hear.

"Atemu told me about your gift and if you actually are, the last thing any of us want is for those pups to be lost."

Yuugi whined and Yusei pulled back. Locking eyes, Yuugi nodded, "Alright, I'll stay," he then cast a glance at Marik, "Sorry, but I can't go."

The blonde wolf seemed to wilt before perking up with a accepting smile, "That's alright," he turned tail and cast another look at Yuugi over his shoulder, "See you in a bit then."

Yuugi nodded and watched as Marik and Aki bound over to the waiting group. When they joined together, Marik relayed the news and the pack members all cast sad smiles at Yuugi who smiled back. Needing no more setbacks, the small group of Dire Wolves took off into the trees and towards the river, leaving Yuugi, Ryou, Anzu, and Rebecca in Yusei's care.

Shoving the bone away Yuugi curled into a ball and placed his nose under his tail. He could still hear the distant thunder of paws as his friends continued on their small walk and he could imagine their smiles as they ran through the thinning snow. His heart panged with sadness, but his mind calmed knowing that he was safe at camp where he was supposed to be. His friends would be safe and Atemu would be back soon. All would be okay.

With the midday sun seeping into his fur, Yuugi began to doze off into a blissful -albeit, slightly uncomfortable- nap. Dreams alluded him as his mind drifted off and rested. Time seemed to still and the moments stretched on the longer Yuugi slept.

His body was the first to move when he felt something nudge against his shoulder. Curling into himself in an attempt to evade the touch, pain tinged in Yuugi's stomach, jostling his mind. The Shiba groaned and loosened his coil to relieve the pain, but he grumbled when the prodding returned this time on his stomach. When the poking turned into a lick, Yuugi calmed and settled back into the warm body around him.

The grooming continued, slowly pulling Yuugi from sleep and into the waking world. When the affection moved up from his stomach to his face, one sleepy, violet eye creaked open to see Atemu. Crimson eyes connected before their attention was drawn out to the rest of the pack.

"How was the walk?" Yuugi asked as he tensed his muscles in a stretch before relaxing against Atemu.

"Fine. Bakura and Kyru got in a small dispute when Kyru ran into the other while chasing Bruno, but nothing serious."

Yuugi hummed and lay his head across his mate's massive paws, "That's good."

Atemu chuckled and rose his head to look at Yuugi, "And what did you do?"

The youth yawned, "Nothing much. I listened to Ryou and Anzu while I ate," his eyes narrowed as he looked at the impression of where the bone used to lie, "Although I couldn't get all the meat off the bone."

Another amused chuckle, "I wondered why that wasn't finished."

The Shiba hummed in agreement before turning his head to look up, "Hey, Atemu?"

The latter didn't move his head or eyes and kept them trained on the rest of the pack, "Yes?"

"Am I not allowed to go anywhere without your permission?"

The elder sighed, "Yusei did brief me on what happened. For now, yes, you are not allowed to go anywhere without my knowledge, but as soon as spring comes, then you may follow with the rest of the pack."

Yuugi relaxed his head against Atemu chest and followed his mate's gaze to where Carly and Rebecca played, "Do you really think there will be pups? As I said, I'm not sure if I'll even be able to without the scientists' help."

This time, Atemu lowered his head to lay atop Yuugi's neck. He turned slightly so that crimson eyes could catch amethyst. When he had them, he smiled, "I do."

Yuugi smiled and rubbed their faces together, "I hope so, too."

Their moment was jostled at the sound of rushing footfalls towards the camp. In an instant, Atemu launched to his feet, stance en guard and eyes scanning the treeline for any movement. The rest of the pack drew closer to Atemu, their own eyes searching for the source of the sound; however, none had to look long as five Dire Wolves emerged from the woods, panic written clear on their faces.

Aki broke from the group and Atemu rushed to meet here. Yusei joined the two while the rest of the pack, including Yuugi, hurried to the returning pack members who were crowded around Shizuka. As Yuugi passed the Alpha and Beta's, he noticed the serious expression on Aki's face as she relayed information to the two.

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Yuugi joined the agitated group of Dire Wolves, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing as the smell of blood hit his nose. It was hard to push past the earger wolves, but when he was finally able to breake through he noticed Shizuka leaning against Jonouchi, an agonized expression on her face and blood dripping from her back legs.

They quivered with the stress of holding her heavy statue upright, but Yuugi could see the uniform puncture wounds around the knee joint. The other pack members sniffed at her before shivering away and pacing around her. Jonouchi himself looked like he wanted to shy away, but his resolve kept him firm as he kept Shizuka on her feet.

With his head low and ears back, Yuugi inched forward to get his own scent from her. When he was finally close enough to get a good whiff, he froze. He sniffed again to make sure his instincts were right. When he was sure his nose wasn't playing tricks on him, he pulled away and stared at the injury with wide eyes.

He had smelt that scent before.

He knew where it was from.

He had to tell Atemu.

The crowd of Dire Wolves parted to allow Atemu to come through and evaluate the situation. Yuugi watched with bated breath as he watched the alpha sniff along Shizuka's body. His black ears swiveled between interested and agitated while his tail wagged lazily behind him. Emotions flickered through his crimson eyes as he slowly made his way down to the injury. As his black nose hit warm blood, he froze.

The crowd tensed and the air became thick as nervous eyes awaited the alpha's response. Minutes seemed to pass before crimson eyes closed and he licked the wound. Shizuka shivered at first before she relaxed as Atemu licked each puncture. The bleeding slowed and her legs stopped their shivering until she was finally able to stand on her own.

With the marks still open, but not bleeding, Jonouchi led Shizuka towards the tree with most of the pack following. The only wolves who remained were Aki, Yusei, Bakura, Yuugi, and Atemu.

The Alpha sneezed and shook his body before straitening and addressing the remaining wolves, "The humans are drawing close. Keep at the camp unless we hunt for food, and if we leave, we all leave. No splitting up the pack under any conditions."

The three Beta's nodded before Bakura took a step closer, "Are we going to pursue the humans?"

Atemu shook his head, "Not now. For now, we wait and keep to the shadows: if we're lucky, they will move on before long," he growled as crimson eyes narrowed alit with a dangerous glow, "but if they draw too close to camp or harm any more of our pack members, do not hesitate to attack."

Bakura nodded his head and fell in line with Aki and Yusei.

The elder closed his eyes and breathed out his nose. When they opened, they were calm with authority, "For now we will focus on defending our home and pack. I want you three to circle the perimeter for any other traps the humans may have laid out. If you see one, don't touch it: we can't let them know we are here. Instead, mark it so that we know not to go near there. You are dismissed."

The Beta's looked between themselves before nodding in an unspoken agreement. Yusei was the first to back away before turning around and racing into the forest. Bakura cast a suspecting glare at Yuugi before surging to the left and disappearing into the treeline. Aki, however, walked up to Atemu who stared down at her with a stoic look in his eyes. Her sable eyes averted his gaze before she licked his jaw.

Yuugi bristled at the touch and took a step forward prepared to attack; however, he caught himself and froze in place, fighting down the urge to growl. Atemu looked down at the female before he licked the top of her head. She seemed to accept the forgiveness and ran off into the forest in front of her.

With her finally out of sight, Yuugi stepped forward to let his presence be known. The alpha looked him up and down before he sat in the snow.

"I guess it's a good thing that I didn't go on the walk," Yuugi tested as he sat down as well.

Atemu hummed and turned his gaze to the where the pack lay around Shizuka, "It's unnerving but it's not the first time it has happened," he looked back to Yuugi, "nor will it be the last."

The Shiba swallowed before he spoke, "I think I know who set the trap."

Crimson eyes narrowed, "Your family?"

Yuugi shivered under the intense gaze, "Not my pack, but their family," when Atemu didn't respond, Yuugi continued, "Seto. I think Seto set the trap."

"Seto Kaiba," Atemu stated matter-of-factly.

Fear rose in Yuugi and his eyes shone with desperation, "They're probably just trying to find me, I'm sure they didn't mean to harm-"

"If it was meant to catch you, why would it have the capability to make you bleed?" Atemu snapped.

Yuugi whimpered and hung his head, ears pressed back, "I don't know."

Atemu growled to himself as he began to pace, "If it is indeed Seto Kaiba, then we have more than just some average hunter's looking for sport: they have a motive. Although I'm not certain if it is to catch you or hurt your captors."

Yuugi paused as he hesitated on his thought. When nothing else came to mind, he decided to say it, "If that's the case, then maybe I can go back, that way they will stop hunting you guys-"

"No!" Atemu barked, his ferocity drawing the attention of the resting pack in the distance. Yuugi coward in front of Atemu and pressed his body to the ground with his eyes glued to the alpha's paws. Some Dire Wolves began to tiptoe over, but a single growl from the Alpha sent them back to Shizuka's side. Atemu sighed and walked over to Yuugi, "No, I don't want you going back to them," to emphasize his point, he licked Yuugi's cheek until Yuugi licked back. With his apology accepted, he continued, "Besides, I don't think you returning to them would put a stop to the traps."

"What do you mean?" Yuugi asked, raising his head up.

"If one of my pack members were stolen away, I would want more than just their safe return: I would want justice. Even if they came back perfectly fine, I would still go after the perpetrators to show them that we were not a force to be trifled with. If you are as close to your family as you say you are, I know that they would want the same."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"For now, we wait," he sighed and nodged Yuugi to a standing position, "Come, let's make sure Shizuka is doing alright."

Yuugi nodded and followed Atemu over to the rest of the pack, a dark feeling pooling in his gut.

()

Yuugi's eyes drooped in the light of the mid-day sun. He lay in the shade of the opening to the den, but he kept his head on the snow in order to watch the lounging Dire Wolves. Most were following his lazy pursuit, while the others meandered around camp. In the distance, he heard teeth scraping the last remains of meat off a bone and his stomach churned at the thought of food.

Orange ears flickered in order to shake the agitating grinding and focus on another sound; fortunately, the soft chirp of birds was enough to distract him and lull him back into a daze. The crunch of snow drew close as a wolf approached, but one sniff had Yuugi melting in comfort. At the lick on his cheek, Yuugi rolled onto his side and raised his paw to bat Atemu in the face.

The warm chuckle sent shivers through Yuugi, "I can come back later."

Yuugi hummed and extended his claws, trying to pull his mate closer, "No, stay."

"Alright," Atemu stepped out of Yuugi's range, drawing a needy whine from the youth and a chuckle from the elder. Both were silent as Atemu lay along Yuugi's back, "Better?"

Yuugi smiled, "Much."

With the warmth of the sun, the lullaby of the birds, and the security from Atemu, Yuugi finally slipped into blissful unawareness. Sleep lingered in the back of his mind, but the strange pain in his stomach kept him from full slumber and left him in a state of vegetation. When the pain required him to change his position, Atemu would groom his ears and face until he settled once again.

The cycle continued for what felt like hours, but when Yuugi looked into the sky, he knew it couldn't have lasted for that long. Violet eyes scanned across the pack, all of which seemed to be asleep among the roots. Only Yusei and Mai remained awake in order to patrol the border in case there was any danger.

Yuugi frowned, "How long will we have to be en garde?"

"An alpha is always aware of any potential danger."

Yuugi bent his head to stare up at Atemu, "I mean about my family."

A low growl rumbled from Atemu's chest, "We are your family."

Violet eyes narrowed as Yuugi nipped the other's shoulder, "You know who I mean."

The growl continued while crimson eyes glared at the treeline, "We've noticed an increase in the traps set and the scent is getting stronger. Either they have found us and think they can flush us out or they are trying one last push before giving up."

Yuugi couldn't help the pang of sadness that struck his heart, "Do you think they will?"

"Give up?" Atemu tilted his head and stared at Yuugi through the corner of his eye, "If they are looking for you, I know they will never give up," his stare softened and he smiled as he fully faced Yuugi, "I know I wouldn't."

The Shiba smiled and reached up to rub his face against Atemu's, "Thanks," he received a lick in return as they pulled away before Atemu resumed his watching and Yuugi lay back down, "I know this is hard for you, but I appreciate it."

There was a moment before Atemu responded, "It is… difficult to think of sharing you with humans, but," he let out a heavy sigh, "I understand that they were -are- your family and that you still care about them."

"Atemu, what if they do take me back?"

"Then I will go after you."

"What if I don't _want_ to leave them."

Yuugi felt Atemu tense as the black fur bristled. The air around them shifted and a flicker of shadows surriced over the glistening snow. The warmth from the den turned cold and the darkness encroached on the two, seeming to reach out and try to drag them back in. Yuugi paid the shadows no mind as he kept his eyes locked on Atemu's as they glowed with an eternal flame.

"Is that what you want?" the words were quiet, dangerous, like a crack in thin ice. One wrong move and the ice would cave, unleashing the bitter depths below.

Yuugi thought on it for a moment, "I don't know."

"You say something like _that_ and expect me to accept an 'I don't know'?" Atemu snapped with a guttural growl.

Yuugi whimpered and dropped his gaze to his paws, "I'm sorry, it's just… not really something that I thought of until now," when the other didn't respond, he took a deep breath and continued, "I love my humans: they took care of me, raised me, and loved me as their own. I've helped them grow just as much as they have helped me, that to leave them on such a scare… I know I would never feel satisfied.

"But at the same time, I don't think I ever want to leave this pack. I've gotten to know each Dire Wolf in such a short period of time. While it was scary at first, they all accepted me into the pack with no questions asked, and you… despite all that we've been through… I don't think I could live without you," he rubbed his head against Atemu's shoulder, "I don't _want_ to live without you."

Yuugi sighed, "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just torn between two homes. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Crimson eyes narrowed while a growl rumbled from Atemu's chest, "Those humans can come with guns and machines, but nothing is going to take you from me."

Yuugi smiled despite the pang in his heart. He couldn't expect Atemu to understand, but at least the other knew. Sighing through his nose, Yuugi closed his eyes and lay his head on his paws. When the elder didn't relax and continued to glare off into the distance, Yuugi opened his eyes and tried to think of some topic to loosen the tension. When amethyst eyes fell to his stomach, he smiled.

"How many do you think there will be?"

Yuugi felt Atemu shift as he turned his head to look at the orange and white stomach, "All my previous mates birthed five to six pups."

Yuugi's eyes widened, "I've only ever carried one."

Atemu hummed, "Perhaps it will be a smaller litter."

Yuugi cocked his head to look up at the alpha, "Have you thought of any names?

Atemu shot him a questioning look, "Have you?"

The Shiba let out a bark of laughter, "I'm still worried about actually carrying the pup: names are the last thing on my mind."

Crimson eyes drifted back to the round stomach, "Should we wait until they are born?"

Yugi smiled, "I feel like we have a lot of time to at least pool some ideas together."

"Fair enough," Atemu nodded, "There's only one name that I-" his words cut off as Atemu's body became rigid.

As if someone flipped a switch, the air around the pair turned tense once more; however, it was thick with apprehension. Yuugi shifted to get a better look at Atemu. Black ears swiveled as they tried to hear something in the far off distance. Then his head snapped up with his piercing gaze cutting through the pack and into the shadowed trees. Yuugi felt the wolf's muscles tense and twitch while his lungs rapidly pulsed as Atemu sniffed the air.

Orange ears flattened and Yuugi curled his body around his stomach, "Atemu-"

"Stay here," Atemu ordered under his breath before standing up and stalking into the clearing.

Seeing their alpha emerge, the pack looked towards him before their playful demeanor turned anxious. Every wolf was on their feet with their heads low, eyes searching, and nose sniffing. Those that caught what Atemu had hunched their shoulders, their hackles raising high.

Yuugi's ears rung in the deathly silence: even the wind seemed to freeze with apprehension. Atemu began to growl, his eyes trained on something in the forest. Yusei and Bakura were ready to pounce from the sidelines while Aki hung close to the anxious pack. Yuugi's heart pounded as he fought between staying absolutely still or racing to Atemu's side. He felt exposed despite not knowing what or where the enemy was. Something was about to burst, and Yuugi wasn't sure what would give out first: the threat or his heart.

…

…

...

A black ear flickered as a shuffling sounded from the trees.

 _BAM!_

Bakura let out a howl of pain as a bullet whizzed out from the shadows and squared him in the shoulder. He stumbled back, red staining his white fur, a snarl on his face and death written in his brown eyes. Atemu and Yusei surged forward into the trees, dodging two more bullets that shot out of the forest. The remaining pack, with Aki leading, charged after their alpha, fangs exposed, claws extended, and a ferocity swirling around them in a frenzy.

Yuugi jumped to his feet and ran after the group, only to stop as Bakura barked at him.

"Stay hidden!"

Yuugi whimpered, "But-"

Bakura growled, "For fuck's sake. If you die then Atemu will be-"

Another shot from the treeline sent Bakura to the ground. He howled in pain, just as Yuugi heard screams of terror and agony echo from where Atemu disappeared. A man emerged from the shadows, his eyes wide as he looked over to the screams: the _human_ screams. Yuugi watched him shake as he stared after the cries of his comrades, unbeknownst to him, Bakura was struggling to his feet.

The albino managed to stand for a moment before pain sent him back in the snow with a growl of frustration. The hunter jumped back, his attention now brought to the still alive Dire Wolf. Yuugi watched in horror as the hunter rose his gun and aimed it at Bakura.

"No!" Yuugi yelped as he surged forward and jumped in front of the albino, placing himself between his friend and the hunter.

"I told you to stay hidden, you idiot!"

Yuugi ignored Bakura's protests and stood braced to attack if the hunter tried to hurt either of them. The man's eyes shimmered with excitement as his finger paused on the trigger. A moment later with his gun still aimed at the pair, he feverishly reached to his belt and pulled out a device Yuugi didn't recognize; however, he recognized exactly what the man said.

"Team 3 to Kaiba, we have found the dog. I repeat, we have found the dog. Hostiles are in the area. Bring back up to-"

Yuugi barked at the man as fear filled his small body. He began to shake as his mind raced at what to do. He continued to bark, trying to distort the man's words, but he kept talking into the small device. He had to make him stop. If he didn't then the pack would be in danger, his family would be in danger, Atemu would be in danger. He had to do something.

Yuugi pulled his lips back in a snarl, revealing his teeth to the hunter as his hackles rose and his claws extended. The hunter paused his ramblings to regard the Shiba. Lowering his body into a lunge, Yuugi sprung at the confused man, rapidly closing the distance between them. The man panicked and dropped the decive, properly aiming the gun at Yuugi.

Fear glinted in violet eyes, but Yuugi kept his pursuit. The man hesitated as he stared Yuugi down the barrel of his hunting rifle, but when the wild Shiba got too close, he fired. Yuugi bound off to the side to dodge the bullet; however, he was caught off guard as a black mass pushed the hunter to the ground.

The man's screams tangled with furious snarls as the black Dire Wolf snapped at the soft flesh in a crazed flurry. Blood splatters speccled the prestine snow, taining it with a deep crimson. Yuugi watched in horror as the black mass pulsed with power and animalistic rage. The shadows around the wolf ungulated and elongated, seeming to scratch and rip at the mutilated human body.

With a sickening crunch, the human fell limp, but the body atop him was restless. Heavy breaths coursed through the massive beast as the muscles twitched with unbriddled rage. Yuugi whimpered as blood-red eyes flickered towards him, concern flashing through the anger.

"Atemu," Yuugi whimpered and the elder lurked off the dead body before making his way to Yuugi. The Shiba could see the blood dripping from the broad chest, and Yuugi prayed that it wasn't his own.

"More humans coming from the left!" Yusei shouted as he braced his body and crouched low.

The concern left Atmeu's eyes and was replaced with a burning hatred. Growling, the alpha bound to Yusei's side just in time to see more humans step into the clearing, with guns poised in their hands. The pack circled around Yuugi while their eyes glared daggers at the invading predators.

Atemu barked in warning, the sound seeming to shake the entire Earth with its power. Some of the men flinched while others took a full step back. There were five humans from what they could see, but Yuugi was sure that there were more hiding out of sight.

One of the humans took a step forward causing Atemu to bark again. This time, the human stood firm. That was all the permission they needed.

Bursting with otherworldly speed, Atemu, and the pack lunged at the intruders, narrowly dodging bullets and kicking up a flurry of white behind them. Only Yuugi and Bakura remained while the pack unleashed their anger on the overwhelmed hunters.

Tears burned Yuugi's eyes as he watched humans and Dire Wolves alike bleed and cry out in pain. The once pristine snow that was only covered in playful paw-prints was now littered with flesh and blood. If this fight ever ended, Yuugi knew this home would forever be scarred as a battlefield A nudge at his side stirred him from his thoughts and he looked at Bakura who pointed too the den.

"Hide. Now."

"What about you?" Yuugi asked, his violet eyes assessing the damage from the two bullets Bakura sustained: one in the shoulder, the other in his side.

"I said go!" Bakura snapped.

Yuugi flinched and whimpered before he turned tail and ran back to the den. He told himself not to look at the bloodshed, but he couldn't stop himself from stealing a glance. He had to make sure that Atemu was alright.

He was almost to the den when he felt something barrel into him, sending both tumbling into the snow. It clamped down on his jaw and hooked under his stomach, sparking rage inside Yuugi.

"I got him, let's go!"

The hunter holding him struggled to his feet as Yuugi wiggled around in the grip. When the human tightened his hold on the fighting Shiba, squeezing Yuuugi's stomach uncomfortably, something sparked in Yuugi. All he could see was red as his instinct told him to fight. Fight. FIGHT!

Ripping his head from the human's hand, Yuugi bit down drawing blood as the man screamed in pain. Despite the metallic taste that filled his mouth, Yuugi continued to chomp and mutilate the offending hand. Instead of the man releasing his hold completely and dropping Yuugi, he nearly crushed Yuugi's stomach in order to keep his grip. Yuugi struck like a caged animal as the will to get away grew even more. He bit the hand, arm, shoulder, and even chin of the human all the while his legs clawed and kicked, ripping the thick jacket in several places.

The human finally let his go as another force jumped on him, sending all of them tumbling to the ground. Yuugi scrambled to his feet and watched as Atemu snapped the human's neck with a powerful bite.

Around them, more humans began to emerge and slowly circle the camp. Yuugi strained to look at the rest of the pack, but fear fell like a rock in his stomach as he noticed many of them were on the ground each with a pink dot on their body. Those that remained fought vehemently against the humans, but their movements were sluggish and Yuugi noticed that they, too, had a colorful dot on their body. Every Dire Wolf except Atemu.

The humans shouted orders to each other and they began to close in, with guns drawn and aimed at Yuugi and Atemu. Some of the guns looked different than normal, but Yuugi knew they were none the less dangerous.

Atemu snarled as the human slowly drew closer and closer. He didn't bother lashing out for fear of leaving Yuugi exposed, so he settled atop the Shiba. Yuugi too growled at he humans from under Atemu. He didn't care that human and Dire Wolf blood was soaking into his fur as it dripped from Aremu's body: he only cared that they got out alive.

"Hold your fire!"

"Separate the two, we only need the dog."

Atemu whipped his neck towards the order and snapped his jaws repeatedly, his eyes wild and ears low.

"Sedate him."

A gun fired, but Atemu didn't even flinch as a chunky bullet with a pink toft on the end embedded itself in his shoulder. Yuugi's eyes widened and he barked at the humans around them. When the drug failed to work, another shot hit Atemu. Then another and another.

Still, Atemu held strong, unfazed by the drug and unrelenting in his stance. Dread settled on Yuugi like a blanket as he searched the humans.

"Kill it."

Atemu managed to dodge the bullet aimed at his head, but it still sunk into his shoulder, causing him to flinch. Yuugi yelped as another gunshot went off, this time making Atemu wobble where he stood. Panic filled amethyst eyes as he frantically searched for the next shooter. When he saw a man smirk as he aimed his gun, Yuugi lunged at Atemu's leg, making him fall it he snow, barely missing the deadly shot

Scrambling to his feet, Yuugi circled Atemu, jumping in front of every gun that so much as twitched.

"Hold your fire. That's the dog Kaiba wants."

At the name Kaiba, Atemu began to stir, but Yuugi pushed him back to the ground, snarling as the gunmen tensed and aimed their weapons.

"Should we sedate the dog?"

"Yes. Once he is out of the way, finish off the wolf."

Yuugi snarled at the order and snapped his jaws at the man who led the attack; however, his snarls turning into pain as he felt something pierce his side and inject the drug into his blood. Panic filled his system as his body fell limp to the ground. He calmed for a moment when he felt Atemu shield his body with his own, but it was shattered as the humans continued to speak.

"Don't shoot it yet until we get the dog."

"That thing won't let us near the dog."

Yuugi could hear the sound of a helicopter from above. The wind rustled his fur and blew snow in his eyes. Above him, Atemu growled and glared at the humans, never once allowing them a chance to attack. More humans surrounded them, but the circle around them kept their guns and attention trained on the pair.

"Use the new sedative on the wolf and bring them both," a new, yet familiar voice order.

Yuugi's vision began to fade and his breath began to shallow.

"Mr. Kaiba-"

"Do it."

Yuugi was able to feel Atemu flinch and yelp in pain as something strong plunged into his side just as Yuugi was pulled into the darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch 6 Away**

Yuugi whimpered as his head thumped with a dull ache. It blurred his thoughts and numbed his muscles as they fought to find awareness. Yuugi tried to fall back into the comfort of sleep, but there was a constant buzzing in the air that grated on his groggy nerves. In an attempt to black out the sound, the Shiba curled into a ball, brushing against a soft fabric.

He mewled in happiness as his nose inhaled the familiar floral scent and began to relax once more. Despite the pain in his head, Yuugi bean to slip back into unconsciousness with Kisara curled around him.

Violet eyes snapped open. He wasn't supposed to smell Kisara. He wasn't supposed to be here.

Lifting his head, Yuugi noticed that he was in a small metal cage with the door being the only side not made up of a solid sheet. There were two bowls at the front near a small flap in the door: one empty and one filled with water. Aside from the bowls, the only thing inside his cage was Kisara's blanket that he was wrapped in.

Yuugi whined as he looked at the blanket, a soft expression in his eyes. He pressed his nose into the fabric and inhaled her scent once more, finding comfort in its familiarity. With his nerves at least soothed, the Shiba stood up and gingerly crept towards the door to take in the room he was in.

Everything was white. The walls, the floor, the ceiling were all colored white, nearly making the bright light blinding as it reflected off the room. In the center of the small space was a metal table with a hook on one end that you could attach something to. The far wall had many cabinets above a grey counter space with a computer on the end. Jars and boxes lined the counter with a sink sitting on the opposite side of the computer. From where Yuugi could see, there were two wooden doors, one on the left wall and the other on the right, each had a small window to see through; however, Yuugi couldn't see or hear anything from the other side.

Overall, the place smelt as it looked: clean. Aside from the blanket he had, the room smelt sterile with no form of life or personalization. Loneliness was the first feeling to creep into the Shiba's mind. There had to be people in the building, but there was no sign, no smell, no hint of any person nearby that it left him cold in his small cage.

With a small whine, Yuugi turned back to the blanket and lay back down. He shoved his nose into the fabric to try and block out the otherwise blank smell, but he wished there was something to fill the dense silence. It was eerie, but worst of all, it was familiar.

Days filled with silence and hardly any sign of life. The only thing that could break it where the cries of various animals in some distant area of the building. Those were the days that Yuugi feared whoever came through the door next. Those were the days that he wondered if he would ever find a family. Those were the days he would rather forget.

Yuugi shook his head and took a deep sniff of the blanket, allowing its familiar scent to drive away the horrid memories. That place was shut down now, and he did have a proper family; in fact, he had two families and his heart pined to be with either one.

One of the doors opened, but by the time Yuugi rose his head from the blanket, there was already a female human unlatching the lock on his door. She didn't smell like anyone he knew, but her presence eased some of the worries from his mind. She looked young, around her thirties, with platinum hair that fell to her shoulders and a kind smile.

Despite himself, Yuugi began to wag his tail as she gave him a kind smile.

"Hey, buddy, how are you doing?" her voice was gentle and smooth, making Yuugi's curled tail wag more, "You ready to come out here? Come on."

Yuugi shied away as she reached into his cage, but she cooed and encouraged him forward. Slowly, the woman grabbed under his arms and began to pull him out. He whimpered softly, but otherwise, didn't fight her advancements. Then she wrapped a hand around his stomach.

While the action was gentle, it sent off a frightening reminder of what happened back in the forest. Yuugi began to squirm and whine in her grasp, no longer listening to her attempts to calm him. The woman never tightened her hold, and as he was placed on the metal table, the door to the left opened.

"Having trouble, Amane?"

Yuugi calmed as he was set on the table and her hands moved to pet his back. She smiled but never took her brown eyes off Yuugi as she addressed the second female, "No, he's just frightened, that's all," she pat his back and locked eyes with the Shiba, "I would be too if I spent months in the forest with wolves and then woke up here."

The other woman, slightly older with wavy blond hair that, despite being up in a ponytail, could probably reach her hips, giggled as she stepped closer, "Were just going to do some tests on you, okay, Yuugi? We just have to make sure you're healthy."

Yuugi's eyes widened, but he remained frozen as the ladies checked his ears, eyes, temperature, and even drew some blood that was set aside. While the actions were reminiscent of the lab he used to call home, he knew these people weren't going to hurt him; after all, Seto would want to make sure that he was healthy after months of being in the wild. It was one of the only ways he showed he cared.

As the evaluation went on, the ladies chatted with each other and cooed at him as he began to shake. He was less scared of the Amane and Cynthia, as he found out, and was more busy trying to suppress the urge to run and hide from a danger that no longer existed. By the time that last medication was given, all Yuugi could think about was how he wanted to curl next to Atemu and never leave his side; however, the feeling only caused his heart to ache as he had no idea were the Dire Wolf was or if he was even okay.

"Alright, Yuugi, I'm just going to give these tests to the lab and we should have your results today if we are lucky. Mr. Kaiba wanted to give you the best treatment," Cynthia explained as she gathered up the paper and vials laid across the counter before leaving through the door on the left.

Yuugi's tail began to wag as he looked up to Amane. The vet smiled back and scratched his ears.

"Mr. Kaiba was right, you are a good boy. I bet it's going to be nice once you're back with your family, huh?"

At the mention of his family, Yuugi's tail wagged even more and he even licked Amane's hand.

She laughed as she pulled out a chain collar from a drawer by the computer, "Alright, but we have to get you cleaned up first."

Yuugi happily let Amane place the chain around his neck, feeling the familiar security that came with its weight. With his collar secure, Amane scooped Yuugi off the table and set him down on the tile floor. The Shiba slipped but caught himself before he fell down completely. He puttered around while Amane grabbed a leash from the same drawer and Yuugi noticed how long his nails had gotten. They weren't overgrown, and by no means uncomfortable, but they were longer than they had ever been since he was rescued by Seto.

His thoughts were interrupted by Aman attaching the leash through the hook, "Alright, let's go."

Amane held open the door to the right, letting Yuugi walk through first. He was met by the same white walls, floor, and ceiling, but this time they made up long hallways that stretched to the right, left, and in front of him. Now he could hear the chatter of other people in the building along with barks and whines from distant animals. The sounds made Yuugi's ears flatten as old memories tried to resurface, but Yuugi shook them off and with a gentle tug from Amane, the two began their trek down the right hallway.

From the other doors they passed, Yuugi couldn't see inside, but he was able to hear chatter amongst more humans. While specific words eluded him, the Shiba was able to understand the general feeling from the conversations: happiness, sadness, elation, curiosity, excitement, frustration all seeped through the door and filled the otherwise empty hallway.

Just as they neared the end of the hallway before it opened into two more, Amane stopped and turned to open a door to the right. She only stopped when a male vet with a clipboard and muzzle walked into the intersection. They smiled at each other and waved hello.

The man dropped his pale blues eyes to Yuugi, "So this is the dog that everyone's been talking about."

Amane nodded, "Yep. Valon, meet Yuugi, the sweetest little dog I've ever known."

Yuugi wagged his tail at the praise and even smiled as Valon kneeled down to pet him, "I bet. Mr. Kaiba has been so worried about him, he won't stop hounding us with questions about how he's doing and how he had better be safe," Valon nodded to Yuugi as they locked eyes, "Your family sure does care about you."

Amane giggled and Valon stood up. She gestured at the muzzle with a frown, "I'm assuming he's waking up then."

Valon scoffed, "If only. He's been awake for hours and nobody can get near him," he rose the muzzle slightly, "I'm not sure this will even help: I feel like he can easily break it if we can even get it on him."

Amane's brown eyes widened, "He's been awake for hours? But that drug should have kept him asleep for a whole day."

Valon shook his head, "I don't know, but he is fighting us with everything he has. Maybe it's the type of wolf he is, but I'm starting to think he's too much trouble. I would suggest putting him down if Mr. Kaiba wasn't so adamant that he stays alive."

Violet eyes widen the longer the conversation went on. Been awake for hours, a strong drug, won't let the human's near him, a strange wolf, it was Atemu! They were talking about Atemu! Fear and excitement built up inside Yuugi making his stomach flip and his mind spin. He began walking in place in order to let out the nervous energy but to no avail. Atemu was alive, Atemu was here!

Amane shot Valon a dark look, "Don't say that! This wolf could be a whole new discovery and you want to put it down, just because it's being difficult?"

Blue eyes narrowed, "Ths wolf single-handedly killed ten of our men back in the forest and is continuing to be hostile towards us. He may be a discovery, but he is still dangerous."

Amane huffed, "Well how would you feel if armed men came into your house, drugged and shot your family before taking you to a strange place?"

Valon sighed as he shook his head, "Oh, Amane, what are we going to do with you?"

Yuugi let out a bark, drawing both human's attention to him. He walked in a circle before placing his two front paws on Valon's legs. His violet eyes were alight with worry, but the two didn't seem to understand. They merely laughed as Valon set him back on the ground.

"Alright, alright, I won't keep you from bath time," he waved a hand at Amane, "See you later."

Amane nodded, "Good luck."

Yuugi began to panic as Valon began to walk away. That man knew where Atemu was, he couldn't lose him now. The Shiba Inu let out a whine and tried to run after Valon, but between Amane's sturdy grip and the slippery tile, Yuugi failed to move even an inch. Despite that, Yuugi continued to struggle against Amane's pulling even as his paws continued to slip and slide.

"Yuugi, let's go. You'll see Valon again, I promise."

Yuugi shook his head, "Let me see Atemu, please!" he whined, but he knew she didn't understand.

Valon gave the pair a sad look just as he was about to finally disappear from view, but a loud bang made all three of them stop. It was coming from the hall Valon was about to go down. There were shouts and orders, but the ferocious snarls and barks tuned them all out. Yuugi felt his fur stand on end as amethyst eyes widened at the _very_ familiar growling.

Valon took off down the hall, leaving a frightened Amanae and a struggling Yuugi, "Atemu!" Yuugi cried, but he never heard a reply.

Amane quickly dragged the resisting Shiba into the room and closed the door; however, the wood only managed to muffle the insistent shouts and snarls. Yuugi scratched at the door and continued to fight Amane in her attempts to pull him away. Barking and whined, Yuugi cried out Atemu's name, straining to run to his side.

The struggle lasted for only a few minutes, but when the snarls stopped, it felt like the first silence in an eternity. A dark aura befell Yuugi as his heart raced and his mind spun with all the possibilities. Did they drug him? Was Atemu hurt? Did they muzzle him? Maybe Atemu heard him and managed to escape? Was he dead?

Sorrow immediately filled his heart and Yuugi sank to the floor with a sad howl. He curled into a ball with his eyes closed and ears trained on the door. Atemu had to be okay. He couldn't die on him. They would see each other again. They would make it out of this. Atemu was alive, he had to be.

Amane let out a heavy sigh, "Okay, let's get you cleaned up so you can go home with your family."

Yuugi cried as Amane began to drag him away from the door. He didn't fight it, but he didn't help her as she hooked him under the arms, led him up the ramp, and set him in a doggy-sized bathtub. He didn't acknowledge her as she wet down his fur or massaged the shampoo into his skin. She continued to comment random tidbits of her life or how happy he would be when he was back with his family, but Yuugi could hear the fear in her voice. It reflected the fear he felt in his heart.

His heart yearned to run to Atemu, but it also yearned to rejoin his family. With each passing second, he reminded himself that he was closer to being back with Kisara, Mana, Mahado, Azula, and Akhenamkhanen. He reminded himself that they would finally know that he was safe and okay, instead of torn to shreds by some wild beast. Yet, at the same time, he knew each step towards his family was a step away from his pack and Atemu. The distance hurt both ways and Yuugi was helpless as he was pushed towards his family.

"Alright, buddy, time to get out."

Hands gripped his stomach and began to lift him out of the tub, so Yuugi snarled and snapped at the hands. Immediately they released him and Amane flinched back from the fierce violet eyes that glared at her. Yuugi continued to bare his fangs at her until he was sure she got the message. He licked his lips as he closed his mouth and lay down in the drained tub.

There was the click of the door followed by Cynthia's voice, "How's it going, Amane?"

Amane huffed, "It was going fine until the growling started. I think he got scared, but I'm not sure. He just growled at me."

Cynthia hummed, "You know they were brought in together, right? The wolf was trying to keep the humans from getting Yuugi."

Amane breathed out, "No wonder he's sad now. He probably wants to help out the wolf."

Yuugi let out a soft whine making Cynthia nod, "It'll be okay. Once you're back with your family, you'll be able to forget all about this."

Violet eyes narrowed and glared up at Cynthia. Sadly, she was more focused on opening the door to the tub to notice. When it was finally open, she reached to hook the leash back on Yuugi's collar when he snarled at her, too. Both women recoiled at his aggressive stance before he stood and walked out of the tub on his own. Once he did, he made an effort to stand as close to Cynthia as possible before shaking the excess water from his fur.

Amane giggled, but Yuugi could tell it was strained, "I don't think he liked what you said."

Cynthia huffed as she straightened her scrubs, "Well, let's just finish his grooming. Mr. Kaiba wants his nails clipped with fur combed and styled."

"Right. By the way, I think he might have gotten sick while he was out there because this is twice now that he didn't like when I touched his stomach. It might be sensitive, but I don't know for sure," Amane warned.

Cynthia opened the second door in the room, letting Amane walk through first, "Noted."

Yuugi stood in the bathing room with his tail and ears low, a conflicted expression in his eyes. If he went into the room with the vets then he would be another room away from Atemu, but he would be one step closer to his family.

"Come on, Yuugi. Let's get you home."

Cynthia's words tried to be encouraging, but Yuugi wasn't too sure which way was home anymore. Nevertheless, Yuugi followed the vets into the next room after Amane joined in calling him over. The new room was filled with a metal table that had a metal rod on the end. Yuugi remembered going to the groomers once before and noticing how leashes would attach to those in order to keep the dog from running away while they worked.

With his head close to the ground, Yuugi padded over to the table Amane stood next to. He looked up at the table with disdain, not liking the idea of either of them trying to pick him up; however, he jumped back when the table began to lower on its own. Frightened, Yuugi took a few steps back while Cynthia and Amane laughed. Once the table was low enough for him to jump on, they pat the top and called him closer.

Not too trusting of the machine, Yuugi walked closer and hopped onto the metal table. He was afraid that his paws would slip on the metal surface, but he was pleasantly surprised to find a thin blanket on top, allowing him some sort of purchase. His serenity was short lived as the table began to move once more, raising him to the girls level.

Once he was raised high enough, Amane clipped the leashed back on before attaching it to the hook on the table. Cynthia, meanwhile, went over to one of the many cabinets and pulled out a basket filled with various colorful tools. When she brought the basket over, she pulled out a device that looked similar to one Yuugi had seen Azura use many times before.

"Alright, let's get your fur dry, then we can clip those nails."

Cynthia clicked a button and the machine began to blow air. Yuugi didn't mind the feeling; in fact, the warm air on his skin was a welcome change from the constant cold he had been living in for the past few months. If he closed his eyes and tuned out the constant buzz, he could almost imagine he was laying next to Atemu beside the fireplace at the cabin.

Violet eyes blinked open, the image quickly fleeing from his mind. The machine stopped and Cynthia turned to put it away while Amane began to brush his fur.

"Wow, I don't think Yuugi here was starving out there in the forest."

Cynthia returned with a quizzical look, "What do you mean?"

Amane gestured to Yuugi, "Well he doesn't look skinny, does he?"

Cynthia regarded the Shiba Inu, "You're right. He's a little rounder than I would expect if he was running with the wolves."

Yuugi's ears flicked in irritation. They were staring at his stomach for too long, not to mention, they were calling him fat. Of course he wouldn't be starving, Atemu made sure that he was well fed as did the entire pack. His family would do the same thing if they were in a dire situation. When they continued to investigate his stomach, Yuugi growled and turned so they couldn't see his tummy.

Amane let out a hearty laugh, "I guess even dogs don't like to be called fat, huh?"

Yuugi huffed and all three of them dropped the subject. They continued to brush his orange coat, but when they pressed too hard on his stomach, he would growl in warning to which they would apologize, but continue. After brushing came the nail cutting. Yuugi remained still as they clipped away and they were careful not to hit the blood vessel. When that went smoothly, Cynthia and Amane put the basket of tools away; however, they stayed over by the cabinets, fussing over something.

Yuugi tilted his head and watched the two arguing girls.

"But the red one would look so cute," Amane whined

"Of course it would, he has an orange coat."

"What about this one?"

Cynthia yanked the object out of the other's hands, "He is not getting one with stars on it."

"Awwww, but he is a star dog," Amane yelped as Cynthia whacked her arm.

"None of that. Now, how about…. This one!"

Amane clapped her hands together, "Perfect!"

With their minds decided, they turned around, broad smiles on their face. Yuugi continued with a confused stare until his eyes landed on the ocean blue bandana in their hands. His tail began to wag as they walked closer and he noticed a white paw on the corner of the fabric. He wiggled with excitement as they tied the bandana around his neck before standing proudly once it was secure.

"Look at him, he loves it!"

Yuugi yipped happily under Cynthia's praise before turning in a circle. They laughed at his jubilance before Amane place a hand on his back to stop him while Cynthia lowered the table. The Shiba skittered at the unexpected movement but remained frozen until the table stopped moving and his leash was unhooked from the rod.

Jumping onto solid ground, Yuugi shook his fur and smiled up at Amane who held his leash. With a heartwarming smile, the platinum-haired vet kneeled down and pet his head.

Cynthia cooed at the sight before turning to the door they entered from, "Alright, I'm going to see how the tests are going while you take him to his family. Hopefully, they will be ready before he leaves."

Amane nodded as she stood up, then began to lead Yuugi through the second door. At first, Yuugi watched as Cynthia left. His ears strained to pick up any noise or chatter, but nothing reached his ears. Amane tried to pull him through the door, but Yuugi remained steadfast until Cynthia was gone and his exit to Atemu was blocked.

Despite the bubbling excitement he felt in his belly know that he was close to his family, his heart began to break as he turned his back to Atemu and was led away. It stabbed him when he heard the door click shut, and all he wanted to do was turn back and claw through the door, fight every vet, and return to Atemu's side; he was just about to do just that when a feminine voice called his name.

"Yuugi!"

Orange ears perked as his brain recognized the voice and his tail began to wag. When violet eyes landed on the small figure of Mana, his heart swelled with joy and he began to stumble towards her. Amane struggled to keep up with the whining joy but didn't fight him as the distance grew smaller and smaller. When they were finally in range, Mana dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Yuugi while he licked her face.

"Mana, you're not supposed to be back here."

Azura's voice trailed down the hall and Yuugi could see her frantic form racing after her child. A smile broke his face when their eyes connected and tears filled her eyes.

"Did you find Mana?" Akhenamkhanen's voice was followed by his tall form peering around the corner.

Azura turned to him with a smile on her face and tears down her cheeks, "It's alright, we'll bring Yuugi to the room."

Akhenamkhanen nodded, and while Yuugi could see the longing in his eyes, the man turned around and retreated back to the room he came from. The knowledge of Kisara and Mahado hiding somewhere in the building sent jolts of excitement through Yuugi's veins as he longed to see them again. Luckily, Mana seemed to understand and giggled as she released him. When she stood, Amane held out the leash to her.

Mana happily took the leash before ushering out a quick thank you, then she burst down the hall with Yuugi hot on her heels: however, it didn't take long for hi to surpass her and nearly pul her across the tiles. Azura called out to them, but Mana just laughed as Yuugi ran blindly after her father. He only sputtered for a moment as he looked fratically towards which of the many doors they could be in.

Mana took pity on the anxious dog and led him down the hall a little ways before stopping in front of a door on the left. The second the door cracked open, Yuugi surged inside, pushing the wood open and racing right into the center of the room.

"Yuugi!"

Whines and squeals of joy escaped Yuugi as he was engulfed in multiple hugs and kisses. Cooes of his name and tears fell on his ears as he continuously licked the air in search for any flesh he could kiss. Warmth overwhelmed his pounding heart knowing that he was finally reunited with his family.

With a stern clearing of Akhenamkhanen's throat, Mahado, Mana, and Kisara finally released the poor dog, "Let's not overwhelm him, now."

"I'm sorry," Kisara apologized as she gripped Yuugi's fur, "I'm just so glad to see him."

Mana giggled and scratched his head, "I can't wait until we can finally go home."

Azura smiled, "We will in just a moment: we have to get Yuugi's results, first."

As if on cue, the door opened, revealing Amane and Cynthia. The latter held a clipboard in her hands and she was reviewing the papers with a slight crease in her brow. Yuugi cocked his head while he watched her read and re-read the paper in front of her. Amane, meanwhile, chatted happily to Azura and Akhenamkhanen about how great he had acted in her care. After Cynthia finished assessing the paper's for what felt like the tenth time, Yuugi couldn't help but feel uneasy as she sighed.

"Mr. and Mrs. Motou, I presume?" Cynthia asked, drawing all eyes to her. She smiled at their curious faces, "I'm happy to inform you that all of Yuugi's tests came back; after all, Mr. Kaiba made sure to have the best on the job," she pointed her gaze down to the clipboard, "Yuugi came back negative for heartworms, ringworms, and tapeworms," she lifted the first paper, "He has some fleas, but we caught it early and already gave him some medication, so he should be fine. Rabies came back negative as did salmonella," she waved her hand and lets the papers fall back to the clipboard, "For being stuck in winter out in the forest, Yuugi here, has come out with a nearly perfect bill of health; however, there is one test he came back positive for."

Akhenamkhanen's brown eyes widened before they narrowed, "How bad is it?"

Cynthia looked flustered as her hazel eyes looked helplessly at the clipboard, "It's not really bad, but it is strange," she sighed in defeat and lowered the clipboard in order to level everyone in the room with a serious gaze, "Yuugi's pregnant."

Stunned silence befell the room as the news began to sink in. All eyes were wide and jaws were dropped at the knowledge that this little Shiba Inu was carrying pups. Yuugi, himself, stood frozen in silence as he mulled the words over in his head. Despite Atemu, Yusei, and Bakura treating him as if he were pregnant, and despite him feeling the change, the truth of the situation felt al the more real with it finally confirmed. He was pregnant. He was pregnant with Atemu's pups.

Warmth enveloped his small frame, making his heart beat and amethyst eyes shine. He knew something had changed -he had even asked Atemu about names- and yet a part of him was still uncertain, still scared, at the idea; however, he couldn't hide it anymore. He was carrying pups inside of him and the idea never made him happier.

Azura was the first to break the silence, although her voice was gentle, "H-how far are they?"

Cynthia searched the papers once more, "About a month to month-and-a-half. We're not quite sure how many there are, but," she smiled up at the family, "They're there."

Mana squealed as she hugged Yuugi closer, "They're going to be the cutest little puppies ever!"

Kisara brightened as well, "We can name them and cuddle with them. This is going to be so much fun!"

"Wait," Mahado stopped the girls cooing with a stern look as he narrowed his eyes in thought, "Yuugi got pregnant while he was with those wolves; that means these pups are going to be half-wild."

Mana cut him off with an excited laugh, "That's going to be even more awesome."

"Mana, I don't think you understand," Mahado sighed, "We can't keep these puppies."

"Why not?" Kisara asked with a curious, but sad tone.

Akhenamkhanen was the one to answer her question, "If these were normal puppies, then I would have no problem keeping them; however, we have no idea what this new wolf acts like, so we don't know how that will affect the puppies. Even if they grow up in our home, they will still be part of a creature that we don't understand," he shook his head and stared at the vet's, "And if what I'm told is true about these new creatures, they are violent, powerful, and unpredictable. One wrong move and a lot of people could get hurt."

Yuugi's ears folded back against his head while Mana hugged him closer, "But daddy, we can't just get rid of them."

Now Yuugi's fear spiked. He flashed his eyes up to Akhenamkhanen only to see doubt floating in those brown orbs. When they connected with Yuugi's, the Shiba could tell that this was a can of worms that he didn't want to open and that knowledge sent anger in his blood. He would be damned if anyone took these pups from him and Atemu. No one would take these ups away.

Azura shook her head, "Sweety, I know it's hard, but we can't risk anyone getting hurt: we don't even know which creature is the father."

Amane bit her lip before she cleared her throat to gain their attention, "From what I've heard, the wolf-beast that we brought back seemed to be very protective of Yuugi as well as seemingly the head of the pack. If we assume these creatures work like wolves, then the one we brought back with Yuugi was probably the alpha, and only the alphas have the right to mate."

Kisara's eyes grew wide, "Can we go see him?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Akhenamkhanen warned.

Cynthia nodded her head in agreement, unease twisting her face, "The wolf that we brought back is very dangerous and doesn't seem to take kindly to humans. He's scared and furious: it would not be safe to bring anyone close to him."

Yuugi whined and Kisara met his pleading gaze. Her blue eyes softened as he looked longingly at her, hoping that she would understand his need. He needed to see Atemu. He needed to keep these pups. He needed them to understand.

Kisara searched amethyst eyes for a moment longer before a smile broke out on her face. Reaching a hand to pet his head, she spoke up, "Not if Yuugi is with us."

The room turned there heads to her, but Azura was the one to ask the question, "What?"

Pale blue eyes lit up and Yuugi wagged his tail, "So long as Yuugi is with us, I know that the wolf-creature won't hurt us."

Cynthia sighed, "As nice of a thought as that is, there is no telling how the creature would react. We are not even sure if he is the father, and if he is, we don't know if he will even remember Yuugi. In times like this, fear can cloud an animal's mind and put it into pure survival."

Kisara shook her head, "Yuugi doesn't think he will attack."

Cynthia looked flabberghasted while Mahado lay a hand on her shoulder. Mana nodded her head in agreement with her sister while Azura and Akhenamkhanen looked helplessly at each other. Yuugi, meanwhile, wiggled out of Mana's grasp and into the circle of people. With eyes bright, ears perked, and tail wagging, the Shiba let out a quick yip to gain their attention Once he had it, he turned in a circle before looking towards the door he knew would lead him to Atemu.

His heart raced at the idea of seeing his mate once more. If he could only be by his side, they would see that Atemu wasn't a threat, they would see that he wasn't some wild beast. They would see that Atemu was a kind, smart, brave, and determined leader who was only trying to save his pack just like anyone else would. That was all Atemu had ever done, was look out for people and make sure that they were safe. He may be intimidating and scary at times, but it was only because he cared. Atemu was so much more than some mindless animal that killed out of fear, he fought to protect and that was all he was doing. He was protecting his home. He was protecting his pack. He was protecting his pups. He was protecting Yuugi.

With another yip, Yuugi pranced over to the door and scratched lightly at its base. They had to let him see Atemu. Then he could show them the caring, loving, protective mate that he really was.

Mana stood up and walked towards Yuugi before smiling at the rest of the family, "Yuugi knows that we'll be safe; therefore, we have to trust him."

Cynthia struggled to find her words, "Honey, I know that Yuugi's a good dog, but he can't possibly know something like that."

"Yes he can," Kisara stood from the floor, "Yuugi's not only good, but he's smart, and if there is danger, then he would protect us from it," she strolled past the stunned vets to stand with her sister and dog, "If Yuugi wants to go see the wolf, then we should go see the wolf."

"She's right," Mahado said with an exhausted sigh, "Yuugi may be a dog, but he has always kept us from harm. Besides," he smiled as he joined his sisters, "I'm desperate to find a reason to keep these pups."

Yuugi's curled tail wagged as he smiled at his family before looking at the remaining adults. They all stared aghast at the motley crew that waited patiently by the door. His heart pounded in excitement as love and happiness overflowed his veins and made him giddy. Surely they could see now. Finally, he could reunite with Atemu.

Amane worried her bottom lip, "As uncertain as I am about this," she took a few steps closer to the kids and Yuugi before a smile broke across her lips, "I'm in for giving this a shot."

Azura looked at her husband, but neither could find any words for the situation. Not even Cynthia was able to will words out of her mouth as her wide eyes observed the confident group. When the remaining adults continued to stand there lost, Yuugi decided to let out a hopeful bark to startle them out of their silence.

Akhenamkhanen blinked, "We don't have permission to see the creature, do we?"

Cynthia opened and closed her mouth as she waved her hands, searching for the proper answer, "I would assume that you have clearance considering you are Mr. Kaiba's family, but with this animal being so dangerous…"

Amane smiled as she clicked open the door, "I'm sure we'll find out once we get there."

Yuugi needed no more invitation as he slipped through the crack with Kisara and Mana hot on his heels. Mahado followed beside Amane who took her time to hold open the door to the remaining adults. Azura was the first to follow with Akhenamkhanen and Cynthia hesitant, but quick to follow. It was agony for Yuugi as he waited for his family to catch up. By the time Mana picked up his leash and Amane began to open the second door, Yuugi was turning in circles with his tail wagging fervently.

Adrenaline forced his muscles forward past the small gap in the door and began to drag Mana out. Reluctantly, he forced himself to slow, lest his family think him too eager or unsuitable to see Atemu. He had to see his mate, he wouldn't be able to live without Atemu.

He pulled at the end of his leash while the humans trailed behind him, desperate to get closer to Atemu. He could still hear their the reluctance in their voice as they asked whether or not they could do this, if it was safe, what would happen, and any other question that they had a right to ask. If only they knew how great Atemu was. If only they could trust him as Yuugi trusted him, but they would see.

Yuugi's breathing became labored as he pulled against the leash, but he couldn't stop now. He could sense that Atemu was near, he could smell him and hear his growls. Not to mention that he could see the shadows flickering in time with Atemu's anger. They clung to the walls and crawled on the floor before the lashed out at any moving object; however, the further Yuugi walked down the hall, the more the shadows followed him. They seemed to run at his feet and circle his body, seemingly elated to see him.

Yuugi's heart warmed at the sight and his heart only beat harder know how close they were getting, but one look behind him showed that his family didn't share the feeling. The unease from before was solidified as they looked apprehensive to get closer to the door. While they didn't seem aware of the shadows recoiling at their presence, he was certain that they felt Atemu's rage.

He whined as he watched Kisara grip Mahado's hand and curl in on herself. Her brother put up a brave face, but his brown eyes skittered to every corner while flinching when the growls spiked in volume. Mana's shaking vibrated the leash, but her face was tense as she fought the urge to run to her father. Azura stood tall with her brows worried together while Akhenamkhanen puffed out his chest in an effort to fight the fear in his eyes. Aside from Yuugi, Amane and Cynthia looked the most relaxed, although, Yuugi figured that only came from years of dealing with frightening animals.

A powerful bark made the whole party jump as the sheer volume was enough to shake the door on their left. While his family tensed, Yuugi relaxed and scratched at the object keeping him form Atemu. His orange ears were pressed back in worry from his mate's rage, but his amethyst eyes shone with relief that they would finally be reunited.

"Sir, I just don't see how this is safe for anyone."

"We are dealing with an unknown animal, of course, this is dangerous."

"Mr. Kaiba-"

"That wolf is to remain alive unless I say so."

All heads turned to the two newcomers who were walking their way. One was Valon who struggled to keep pace with his companion. His features were twisted with worry while his eyes were glazed with fear. His companion, however, was no stranger to Yuugi.

Tall and powerful, Seto Kaiba strode down the hall with a confidence that could rival Atemu's. His piercing blue eyes were watching the group outside the offending door with a curiosity that only trained eyes could see. It took a while for Yuugi to learn Seto's emotions, and even now, it was difficult, but Yuugi was happy to see him, nevertheless.

The pair stopped in front of the group and Seto greeted them with a quick nod, "Are you not heading home?"

Mana huffed, "We wanted to see the wolf."

An elegant eyebrow rose in question as Seto regarded his cousin, "Why?"

"Because he's the father of Yuugi's puppies," Kisara answered only to shrink back behind her brother when Seto flicker his eyes to her.

When the girl refused to explain further, Seto turned his gaze to Akhenamkhanen. The elder nodded, "As it turns out, Yuugi got knocked up while he was out in the forest, he gestured to the female vets, "They don't know for sure if this creature is the father, but it is the only lead."

When that answer didn't satisfy Seto, Azura continued the explanation, "We wanted to see if this creature was too wild or if it could be calmed. If it can't, then we can't risk raising these puppies."

Their cousin hummed in response as he crossed his arms and closed his eyes. No one interrupted him as the thought on the information; however, Yuugi was getting impatient. He could practically feel Atemu through the door and he was sure Atemu knew he was there. He had to see him more than he needed air to breath.

Not wanting to stand here anymore, Yuugi barked at Seto and the growls behind the door ceased. The silence that befell the hall was deadly and his family shifted in discomfort. Seto, however, kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, but when the opened, they locked onto Yuugi. The small Shiba whined at Seto before gazing longingly at the acursed door.

The two continued their silent conversation and Yuugi could see the ideas flashing through Seto's mind. Something was brewing in that genius's head and it brought a smile to Yuugi's face.

Finally, Seto nodded, "Open the door."

Amane breathed a sighed of relief as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a key card. As she stood in front of the door, she slid the card through the lock above the handle, and once the red light turned green, she opened the room.

Yuugi took no time busting through the door, and when he did, he froze in place.

The room was similar to the one he woke up in; however, there was a stench of blood that floated through the air and the equipment was more heavy duty. There were the cabinets and computer, along with a singular metal table in the center, but there was one, large, metal cage that lay in the corner. The metal bars were bent from the heavy force of Atemu running into it and there were clumps of black fur littering the white floor. The water bowl that had been set inside the cage was crumpled and dented while its contents lay strewn about the messy floor. Speckles of red splashed along the floor, walls, and ceiling, all while centering around the battered cage.

Inside the abused bars, with back hunched and head low, stood Atemu amongst the wreckage of blood, fur, and water. His fangs were glistening in the fluorescent lights while the crimson blood glowed on his matted fur. The expression in his ruby eyes was crazed and ravenous, but the second they caught amethyst, they melted into worry and fear.

"Atemu," Yuugi whined.

The Dire Wolf looked to replay, but the door creaked open, revealing the group of humans still stunned into silence. His eyes narrowed and black hackles rose while snarls escaped his throat. Kisara jumped before hiding behind her mother while Mana dropped the leash in order to duck behind her father.

Yuugi whimpered and took a step forward, "Atemu, please calm down."

"These fiends attacked my home, hurt you, stole us away, and you want me to give them the chance to kill me?" Atemu growled while he glared at the humans, "I've heard what they've said. They want to put me down in order to keep themselves safe. I refuse to let them!" As Atemu let out venomous bark, Yuugi jumped closer to the cage.

"Atemu, please, this is different! They want to see if you are capable of calming down or if you are too wild for them to handle!" violet eyes pleaded up to crimson, but Atemu refused to take his glare off the humans.

"I would rather die than let those filthy hands touch me," he growled.

"If you don't then they will kill the puppies!" Yuugi cried.

The Dire Wolf's growled ceased immediately, but it took another second for crimson eyes to lower to Yuugi. Seeing his mate was open to listening, Yuugi continued.

"They know I'm carrying puppies, and they know that you're the father; however, if they can't prove that you are more than a wild animal, then they won't take the risk of letting the puppies live."

"I won't let them," Atemu rumbled, but Yuugi shook his head.

"This isn't like in the forest, Atemu. If they think you are too dangerous then they will take me away, kill you, and put the puppies down as soon as they are born," Yuugi whined and dropped his ears, "I don't want to lose them, Atemu. I don't want to lose you."

The Dire Wolf growled softly in his throat while his eyes shifted between Yuugi and the humans. Yuugi watched the warring emotions in those crimson depths and stood helpless as he could do no more to sway the alpha. It was all up to Atemu now on what happened next.

With a stubborn huff, Atemu settled his gaze on Yuugi, "Fine, but if they try to do anything to me or to you," he snapped his jaws at the humans before settling into a sitting position at the front of his cage. His muscles were tense and his ears flickered at every sound, but it was enough for Yuugi.

With a happy wag of his tail, Yuugi crept the final distance to Atemu, careful to make his movements slow so as to not set his mate off. Despite crimson eyes scrutinizing the humans, Yuugi tiptoed to the cage until his fur pressed against the warped bars. With a quiet whine, Yuugi stuck his nose through the bars in order to properly smell Atemu.

Human blood stained the black fur with a sicky sweet scent that burned Yuugi's nostrils; however, his fear peaked when he smelt Dire Wolf blood as well. The bitter scent pooled dread in Yuugi's stomach and he licked the matted fur. Atemu twitched at the touch before relaxing into the soothing embrace.

Yuugi happily continued to groom his mate regardless of how rancid the flavor was on his tongue. It was more important to make sure his mate was comfortable and clean in this strange environment. He hummed happily as he soothed scabbed scratches and wounds under the thick black fur: this moment, as tense as it was, felt perfect to him. He had his mate, he had his family, and everything was okay. Everything would be okay.

"I told you he wouldn't hurt, Yuugi."

The small female voice nearly shattered the unsteady peace that had befallen the group. Beside him, Yuugi felt Atemu tense and rumble low in his throat; however, Yuugi gently nipped his shoulder in order to silence the disapproval.

"That doesn't mean he will accept us," Seto cynical voice was sharp as ice as he tried to cut through the tension.

"We won't know until we try," Amane reasoned, although, there was an uncertain quiver in her voice.

Yuugi heard the hesitant footsteps behind him as the group began to walk forward. The first few inches were okay, but then Atemu began to tense. His fur rose back up and his eyes flared to life while his pearly fangs glimmered in anger. Yuugi tried to soothe the rising emotions, but he had little success. When Atemu decided the group of humans had come close enough, he let out a single warning bark.

It had the effect it wanted as the group froze where they were, not even half-way to the cage, "That's not good," Mahado muttered.

"Maybe we should try one at a time, instead of as a group?" Azura offered.

Valon snorted, "We already tried. That beast didn't even like when we had one person in the entire room."

Yuugi whimpered at stared at his agitated mate, "Atemu, please calm down."

Black claws extended as Atemu growled, but Yuugi wasn't sure at who, "It's not that easy, Yuugi."

The Shiba Inu whined as dread began to creep into his mind. He hated to see his mate like this, yet if they all wanted to get out of this alive, he would have to prove to his family that Atemu was okay. Yuugi knew that this was hard on the Dire Wolf, but he didn't know what he could do to make it easier. Turning pleading eyes back to his family, violet locked onto pale blue as Kisara peaked out from behind her father.

A silent plea passed between them as Yuugi curled closer to the cage. The adults continued to mutter amongst each other, trying to determine whether or not they should continue at all. Valon fought hard for the group to retreat, but Seto stood firm that they should stay; however, Yuugi could see the fear creeping into Azura's and Akhenamkhanen's eyes. As much as they loved Yuugi, he knew that they were afraid of Atemu and what he would do to their family. They had a right to feel that fear, considering what had transpired at the very beginning, but things were different now: couldn't they see that?

Softly, Yuugi mewled at the group, but only Kisara seemed to hear him. Taking a deep breath, the young girl inched out from behind her father and began to walk past the group. No one seemed to notice until Mana called her name.

Kisra didn't listen as her eyes flickered between Yuugi and Atemu. The Dire Wolf rumbled in his chest, but it wasn't audible past Yuugi. He was tense, and his eyes were glued to Kisara's quivering form, but the girl stood firm as she slowly approached.

"Kisara, come back," Azura order, but the girl refused.

Akhenamkhanen took a step forward, but Atemu's glare and growl pushed him back, "Kisara, don't go near him."

Crimson eyes returned to her shivering frame, but Kisara didn't slow. With a flicker down to Yuugi and back, Kisara replied, "I trust, Yuugi."

"Hunny, it's not the dog we are worried about, it's the wolf," Cynthia tried to reason.

Kisara shook her head, but kept her eyes on Atemu, "But Yuugi trusts him."

Azura took a step forward, "Kisara-"

"Let her be," Seto cut her off, freezing her in place.

Her yellow eyes gaped at her nephew-in-law, "Seto, you can't be serious."

His calculating gaze never rose off the tense wolf as he inclined his head towards the dogs, "Watch."

Atemu growled when the girl was close enough to pet Yuugi. She faltered in her steps and looked towards her beloved pet. Yuugi cooed at the girl before he turned his attention to Atemu. The Dire Wolf regarded the Shiba Inu and quieted his growls to a rumble, but his body was still tense as he scrutinized her every movement.

Seeing the alpha so riled, Yuugi frowned and turned back to Kisara. She flittered her petrified eyes down to Yuugi. The Shiba nodded his head once before he lay down on the ground, hoping she would follow suit. Taking a shuddering breath, Kisara lowered herself until she sat on the ground, facing the riled Dire Wolf.

Black fur lay flat along Atemu's body as he regarded the new position, but his muscles were posed to attack if she dared one wrong move. Not knowing what else to do, Kisara silently asked Yuugi what to do next.

"I'm going to bring her closer, okay?" Yuugi warned Atemu. The other chuffed, but otherwise, remained stationed where he was.

Yuugi took it as a good sign and trotted over to Kisara. After nodging his head against her shoulder, he lay back down on the floor and began to army crawl toward the cage. At first, Kisara stayed put, but after Yuugi tugged on her skirt, she too began to crawl closer.

Each movement was slow and deliberate as time ticked away one breath at a time. They inched closer and closer under the intense glare of Atemu and the worried gaze of the humans until they were in front of the beaten door. Yuugi settled down against the bars, panting happily as he gazed up at Atemu; however, the Dire Wolf paid him little mind while his eyes were trained on the quivering girl in front of him.

"This is Kisara, she won't hurt you," Yuugi reasoned.

Atemu rumbled, "I don't like her looking at me."

"She's harmless, though."

"It doesn't matter," black claws extended and Yuugi bit back a whimper.

Open opened his mouth to try and calm Atemu when Kisara's shuttering breath, broke his thoughts. Turning his attention to her, Yuugi watched as she ever so slowly turned her body until her back was facing Atemu. Then, she scooted back until the cold bars pressed against her spine. By the door, Azura gripped Akhenamkhanen's arm while Mana clung to her brother for dear life. Amane looked about to pass out while Valon was holding Cynthia up as best he could.

Atemu struggled with himself as he bore holes into Kisara's skull. He would lean forward only to flinch back a moment later. His growls wavered in his throat while his claws fought to retract or extend. The shadows in the room portrayed the tempest of emotion by swirling in the corners before caving in on themselves. The humans at the door held their breath when Atemu finally decided to press forward.

Kisara flinched when she felt the cold, wet nose against her hair, but she held still despite the rising fear in his stomach. Yuugi cooed softly before curling against Kisara and licking her white knuckles that gripped her skirt. Behind them, Atemu sniffed the silver strands before moving down her neck, back, then up to her head again. Then he licked her scalp.

Kisara flinched away only to relax when the hesitant lick continued down to her shoulder.

"It looks like he accepted her," Amane muttered.

Seto nodded his head, "No one else goes in. This will be all the progress we get today."

"What do we do now?" Azura asked, "I know he is okay with Kisara now, but we don't know what he will be like with the rest of us."

Valon opened his mouth to answer, but Seto cut him off, "We will wait and give those two time."

"'Those two'? Are you referring to Yuugi and the wolf?" Akhenamkhanen cut in.

Cobalt eyes flickered to Akhenamkhanen before falling back to Yuugi, "I would like to keep Yuugi here for a while. At least until the puppies are born."

"You mean he will have to stay here?" Mana asked as she faced her cousin.

"For now, although I do have an idea for him and the wolf," Seto mused to himself. When he made up his mind, cobalt eyes snapped to Akhenamkhanen, "There is still time to change Gozaburo's mind, and I think I have a solution."

Akhenamkhanen moved his gaze from his daughter just as the creature moved his grooming to Yuugi in order to raise an eyebrow at Seto, "What did you have in mind?"


	7. Chapter 7

**(Warning: mildly graphic content at the start)**

 **Ch 7 Our Home**

Yuugi breathed in through his nose before releasing it in a prolonged whine. He lay on his side with his paws twitching in anticipation and his tail curled up and out of the way. Waves of fire tensed his muscles every few seconds; however, the pain was nothing compared to the excitement that overwhelmed his senses.

The ground underneath him was covered in towels while the wooden house around him kept out the wind and sun. Still, the opening in front of him that led to the outside was enough to bring in the fresh scent of the Canadian forest as well as the view of the patient and excited humans sitting outside his hut. They were prepared to step in if needed, but they trusted him to carry through on his own.

His family stood a few feet back, although Mana and Kisara looked ready to turn away at any moment. Akhenamkhanen was holding Azura close with a look of anticipation and happiness curling his face. Azura matched his excitement, although her attention was more focused on Kisara in case the girl needed to be escorted out. Mahado, on the other hand, looked completely enthralled as he observed all that he could of the process.

Yuugi's attention, however, was only focused on his mate, Atemu, who paced just behind the chain fence a few yards away. As soon as the humans left, then Atemu would be allowed to see Yuugi, but for now, he had to settle for watching at a distance, his displeasure rolling off him in waves. The Shiba whined as he longed for Atemu to be closer, but he knew that the humans wouldn't allow for that until they deemed it safe.

Taking a labored breath, Yuugi lay his head back down and focused his mind on other subjects. Two months had passed since he and Atemu were taken from the forest, but so much has happened in that time. Since Atemu was able to show that he could be approached, the humans had been able to do enough research to determine his Dire Wolf nature. Armed with the new knowledge, Seto faced Gozaburo and offered to buy the land in order to turn it into a preserve for the remaining Dire Wolves in existence. The argument had been tough, but between Seto's cunning and Akhenamkhanen's persuasion, they were able to seal the land and return Atemu.

A temporary base had been built in order to properly study the Dire Wolves while allowing them to roam in their habitat. When Atemu had been returned to his pack, he had been less than pleased with the development; however, after a few long hours explaining the necessity of the action from Yuugi, the alpha relented, although they didn't speak for the next day.

Yuugi had understood the need for silence, back then, he himself was getting used to the new situation as well, but Yuugi couldn't be happier with the outcome. This land was safe from any construction under Seto's care, Atemu was back with his pack, and Yuugi was able to see his family while still remain at Atemu's side. It had been a hard suggestion when Seto asked for Yuugi to remain on the preserve with the Dire Wolves, and one that had not gone down without a fight. Akhenamkhanen and Azura had no intention of letting Yuugi remain in a dangerous area, especially if there were puppies in the future, but, in the end, Seto won explaining that with Yuugi amoungst the Dire Wolves, they would have an easier time observing the animals. Not to mention that the puppies would have to stay with the pack as they were not fit to be sold to outside buyers or to be raised up by humans.

The news had been heart-breaking for Mana and Kisara, the latter spending most of her time in tears while Mana refused to let Yuugi go. Mahado had locked himself in his room when his parents came home and told them that Yuugi would have to go away; however, they were able to spend a few days together as a normal family before they had to say goodbye.

As much as Yuugi loved his family and the thought of leaving them pained him, he couldn't deny the fact that he had longed to be with Atemu. He wanted to lay in the sun with the other Dire Wolves, he wanted to knaw on a fresh bone from the kill that Yusei just caught, he wanted to lick Atemu's fur as the alpha watched over the pack with keen eyes. His family would still be able to see him at the preserve, but Yuugi was delighted that the rest of his days would be spent by Atemu's side.

Finally, he lay here, close to the main building in his special hut that the humans constructed to help with the puppies. It was a small fenced off area that was attached to the building by a long, fenced-in walkway, but it was far away enough that Atemu felt comfortable getting close to. It was spacious enough to run around and play in with a few trees and strewn about toys to play with. Aside from the hut and bowls for food and water, there were no other man-made objects in the space.

It was the only area that his family was allowed to see him, and now it was the area that he and his pups would stay until they were old enough to wander with the pack. Atemu would soon be welcomed inside, and Yuugi was sure that, in time, the rest of the pack would come to take a peek at the new pack members.

His abdomen muscles tightened painfully as something inside of him shifted. Yuugi blinked back the pain before he curled his body together hoping the expel the object quickly. Labored gasped barely supplied enough air to Yuugi's lungs; however, all breath left him and he tensed his muscles and pushed the puppy out.

He could see the slimy package slip out from him and he couldn't help the happiness that shone through the pain. Yuugi didn't mind when human hands came in and opened the membrane, revealing the squirming form of a puppy. As the humans severed the umbilical cord, Yuugi twisted his body -neverminding the pain in his abdomen- and began to lick the small body.

It squeaked the moment Yuugi's tongue licked its slimy body. The smell was overwhelming, but Yuugi didn't care. He could feel the puppy shivering as it tried and failed to move closer to him. Nudging the body closer, Yuugi happily rested the puppy against his stomach as he continued to groom it. A shiver ran down his body as he felt the weak heartbeat thumping in the tiny chest; however, the shiver turned into a pained cry as his muscles spasmed once more.

Turning his attention away from the small pup, Yuugi forced his body to tense in order to push out the next pup. When nothing happened, Yuugi relaxed in order to take some well-needed breaths. When the black in his vision began to recede, the Shiba took a deep breath and curled his body, tensing all his muscles, and praying that it would work.

Once more, the bloody package slipped out of his body before it was quickly opened by human hands and the umbilical cord was cut. This pup, Yuugi noted happily, was bigger than the last and its squeaks were louder. It cried and cried even when Yuugi began to clean its slick body of the blood and mucus. The young heartbeat rung proudly in Yuugi's ears and he hummed happily as he guided it next to its sibling. He shifted between the first pup to the second in order to keep both pups clean and warm.

Yet, Yuugi knew that there was still one more pup to be born. He could feel it still residing in his body, waiting to be let out and to taste the open air, His body shivered at the idea and he could feel his stomach turn in excitement. Off in the distance, Yuugi watched Atemu paced along the fence, sniffing the air and glaring at the humans. How much Yuugi longed for his mate to be beside him and assure him that everything would be okay, but Yuugi knew he had to wait. Only after the pups were born and the humans assessed them would Atemu be allowed to enter.

A whine sipped past his lips as his body tensed once more. Egar to see his last pup, Yuugi gasped in the fresh air before curling his body together. His muscles strained as it worked to expel the last puppy and Yuugi ruefully had to halt for air. The puppies beside him squealed as they longed for his comfort, and it pained Yuugi to tare his focus elsewhere, but as soon as all the puppies were together, then nothing would be able to take his attention away from them.

With a final cry, Yuugi tensed his muscles and pushed out the last slimy package. While the humans set to work on opening and detaching the puppy, Yuugi lay his head on the ground as exhaustion overwhelmed his brain. His heart broke in half as his puppies cried and begged for his attention, so only after a few seconds of rest did Yugi raise and begin to clean the last puppy.

It was smaller than the second pup, but larger than the first, yet its heartbeat was just as strong as the second. It soothed his body while he cleaned the last pup and pushed it together with its siblings. His muscles continued to twitch as they came down from their high and his mind began to drag with the adrenaline leaving his veins. He had his pups now, everything would be alright.

"The first was a female, the second was a male, and the last was another female."

"Three pups that look healthy: it's amazing."

"It looks like mama is getting tired. Let's finish recording the pups, then we can let the father inside."

Hazy amethyst eyes watched as his son and daughters were each taken away to be weighed and assessed. Had he not been able to see the humans working on his pups, he would have been angered at the idea of them being taken away, but as it were his exhaustion was creeping on fast.

As his second daughter was taken by the humans, Yuugi began to languidly lick his first daughter and son. The son wiggled under the ministrations while the daughter lay still as Yuugi licked her. When she continued to remain limp, fear crept inside of him and chased away his tiredness. Leaning up this time, Yuugi licked his daughter's stomach, searching for a heartbeat: nothing. With a panicked yelp, Yuugi began to fervently lick all over his daughter. Her stomach, sides, paws, neck, face, anything to try and stimulate some motion out of her. His son squeaked in distress when Yuugi ignored him, but he couldn't pamper his son yet. Not when his daughter wasn't even drawing breath.

When his other pup had been returned, they tried to grab the motionless daughter away from him, but he growled and snapped at the hands. They flinched away before he set back to licking her small body. The other siblings crawled over each other as the called for his attention, but Yuugi continued to lick the first pup.

"We have to get that away from him. If we don't, we could lose it: not to mention, the other pups."

Yuugi could hear Atemu barking in the distance followed by his disturbed growls. He knew something was wrong, but he couldn't see nor could he get close enough to investigate. Yuugi pined after his mate, but he was more concerned for the immobile pup in front of him. Something entered the hut and slipped over Yuugi's neck, but by the time he realized what it was, it tightened around him and pushed him away from his pups.

The Shiba began to fail and twist in an effort to free himself with little success. His other puppies were wailing now as they easily sensed his distress as the humans entered the hut. Quickly, they grabbed the silent daughter and removed her from the structure; however, they continued to keep Yuugi back until they were done examining her. Each minute that ticked by was a stab to Yuugi's heart as he watched them poke and prod her. They rubbed her with clothes, pumped air into her lung, and tapped her chest to start up her heart. It was harder to watch the hope drain from the human's faces.

"She's gone."

Yuugi wailed at the news, refusing to believe that he had lost another pup. Atemu, meanwhile was jumping at the fence, rattling the metal and causing the still living pups to panic. From the pain of their mother, the anger of their father, and the chaos of the humans, it was too much for them to handle. they needed their mother, and they needed him now. Yuugi's human family were being led out of the enclosure while the scientists were quickly wrapping up. Some of them were scared of Atemu while others mourned the loss of the puppy.

"There's nothing we can do."

"We'll take her back to the lab and see what we can discover before we bury her."

"Come on, I want to let the beast in before it breaks down the whole wall."

Finally, the loop around Yuugi's neck lessened and the metal pole was removed from the hut. The Shiba tried to scramble to his feet, to race after the humans and steal his daughter back, but his muscles were too weak. His bones were stiff and his energy was not enough to move him forward. He stumbled back to the floor where his remaining pups cried out for his attention. Overwhelmed with helplessness and heartbreak, Yuugi quickly nuzzled them to his side before he flickered devastated amethyst eyes to the last scientist as they left the hut to exit the enclosure.

A pained cried echoed through the forest as Yuugi fell back in the hut. Images of Yami begin led away flashed through his mind while the horrid scent clogged his nose. Everything seemed to be speckled with blood while the wound on his heart was ripped open and left bleeding.

There was a distant clicking followed by thundering steps and the slamming of the metal gate. In seconds, Atemu was by his side, sniffing the ground and the pups. He growled at the lingering scent of humans before his determined crimson eyes latched onto distraught amethyst, "What happened?"

"They took her away! They took our daughter!" Yuugi cried as he closed his eyes against the horrid visions, "She wouldn't move, she wouldn't cry, s-she wouldn't breathe."

Atemu growled for a moment longer before he nuzzled Yuugi's face, "Shh, shh. It'll be okay."

Yuugi curled closer to his squirming pups, "No it's not! I didn't want this to happen! I-I can't lose another one."

A firm nip to his orange ear brought Yuugi's attention to Atemu. The Dire Wolf's face was void of emotion, but his eyes burned bright with determination, "Yuugi, calm down."

Yuugi flinched away for a moment before he narrowed his eyes, "How can you be calm? It's a miracle that they were even born, but she died within minutes. What do you think that means for the rest of the pups? What if the humans take the rest away? What if they kill them?"

Black ears folded back as crimson eyes narrowed, "They won't kill our pups. I won't let them."

Yuugi's vision blurred as fresh tears pooled in his eyes, "How can you promise that? How can you be sure? How do you know that everything is going to be okay? How do you know we aren't going to lose another one?"

Atemu rumbled in thought as he straightened his neck. He stared down at Yuugi in silence before he tilted his head, "How do you know your human family isn't going to hurt you?"

Yuugi balked, "What? They would never hurt me! They saved me and I trust them."

Atemu leaned his head down, "When they first adopted you, did you trust them?"

Blinking away his surprise, Yuugi shook his head, "N-no. It took me months before I fully trusted them."

Atemu rumbled in thought, "So what makes this situation any different?"

Amethyst eyes ducked to the resting puppies who had finally content with their mother beside them, unable to hold Atemu inquisitive gaze, "W-well the puppies…"

Atemu leaned forward to try and meet Yuugi's eyes but the latter kept averting his gaze, "I know it's hard for you and that it is going to be hard on you, but you need to trust the humans," he paused for a moment, his voice tense and his crimson eyes harsh, "As much as it hurts me to admit it, these humans are not going to hurt you: they're your family," Atemu's voice lowered into a deep growl that wrung with authority and promise, "Even so, if they do try to hurt either you, our pups, or the pack, I will do everything in my power to fight back and keep everyone safe. Yes, it's unfortunate that we lost a pup, but we have two living, breathing, healthy puppies who need both of us," Atemu nudged Yuugi's cheek, his voice and eyes softening "You can't give up on them."

Amethyst eyes closed as Yuugi took a steadying breath, "Deep down, I'm terrified that I won't be able to protect these pups like I wasn't able to for Yami," when he opened his eyes, he was met by Atemu's loving gaze. Yuugi's eyes softened, "But I trust in you, and I know that as long as you're by my side, nothing bad will happen."

Atemu smiled as he walked around Yuugi to lay curled around the Shiba and his pups. With a content hum, Atemu licked his mate's forehead, "I love you."

Yuugi nuzzled Atemu's neck and licked the underside of his jaw, "I love you, too," he yawned mid-lick drawing a chuckle from Atemu.

The Dire Wolf lay his head across Yuugi's neck, giving him a perfect view of his ups and the door, "Rest now: I'll be here."

Yuugi didn't fight as he curled around his pups, giving both of them a quick cleaning as sleep crept into his vision. As the pups settled against his stomach, Yuugi couldn't help the broad smile that tilted his lips. He did it. He had puppies. Atemu's puppies. And this time, they were going to grow up in the happy, beautiful life that they deserved.

()

Yuugi groaned as he tried to slip back into sleep, but the tiny body climbing on top of him refused to let that happen. The body yelped as it fell off Yuugi's hip, and one amethyst eye peeked open, only to close when he saw the black puffball jump to its feet.

It yipped in excitement as it climbed over orange limbs to bat at Yuugi's face, "Mom! Mom, watch this!"

Yuug relented and opened his eyes to watch his daughter. When her wide maroon eyes noticed his amethyst irises, she dropped to the ground before rolling over. Squealing in barely contained excitement, she scrambled to her feet and bound over to Yuugi.

"Did you see? Did you see?"

The Shiba giggled as he rose his head out of his daughters reach, "I'm so proud of you, Elena. Who taught you that?"

"Mahado did," Elena answered with pride as she puffed out her chest.

As the spring breeze blew over the pair, so did a rushing black whirl from the distance. Panic rose in Yuugi's chest as he heard his daughter cry out, only to relax when he heard his son's mischevious laughter.

"That wasn't fair! I couldn't see you!" Elena protested as her brother climbed on top of her petite body.

When she continued to wiggle, the brother slid away and began to crawl on the ground, "Dad says that a good leader is always on guard."

Elena huffed, "Daddy also said that it's not nice to be rude!" she snapped as she pounced her brother.

The other dodged her attack before the pair began to run circles around Yuugi. Smiling to himself, Yuugi happily watched as his puppies chased and tackled each other. They were miracles, plain and simple, and Yuugi thanked whatever gods were above that he still had them by his side. It had been hard for the first few weeks, considering they had to stay near humans for food. They would often come into the home to feed the pups, meaning Atemu had to leave Yuugi's side as he refused to be near them. Then again, Atemu had often been gone during the day as he had to lead the pack in their anxiousness, but Yuugi was lucky to have his mate at night.

The pups were now five weeks old, and the humans had stopped feeding them milk in exchange for soft foods. At times, they would become curious about the meat that Yuugi and Atemu ate, but they always returned to the food the humans presented them. Despite still relying on the humans for food, Yuugi was more than grateful that he had finally been able to rejoin the pack.

It had been scary at first as Yuugi and Atemu slowly introduced their pups to the pack. It had been a tense moment for everybody and Yuugi had been terrified the whole time however, Atemu remained a calming presence as he had constantly reassured him that no one would hurt the pups. After all, Yuugi did feel safer with the pack then he did in the human enclosure. Even the times when it had been himself, his pups, and his human family, playing together in the enclosure, Yuugi had felt uneasy as he watched his kids interact with his family. As much as he had wanted to fully enjoy those moments, they were always filled with the urge to flee back to the pack, back to Atemu's side.

"Stop, Elena!"

"You started it!"

"Ow! I said stop!"

Yuugi snapped his attention to his pups who were currently rolling in the grass together. Elena had her brother pinned to the ground with his black ear inside her mouth. Her white-tipped paws continued to bat away her brother's defense as she chewed his ear.

The brother growled before his crimson eyes turned to Yuugi, "Mom, make her stop," he pleaded.

The Shiba sighed with a smile as he leaned forward and nipped Elena, "Alright, that's enough. He's learned his lesson."

Elena protested, but one stern look from Yuugi had her crawling off her brother before bounding after a ladybug. She was a truly adorable puppy with midnight, black fur covering the top of her body, while a cream color coated her underbelly. She had the true markings of a Shiba Inu, but her tail was straight like Atemu's instead of curled. Her sharp, maroon eyes were always wide in wonder as she took in the world around her: she had been the first to open her eyes. Not to mention, her paws were bigger than a normal Shiba's, especially her brother's. She often tripped over them in her explorations, but it never deterred her wild nature.

A hiccup drew Yuugi out of his musing and down to his son who continued to lay in the grass. His piercing crimson eyes were clouded with tears that he tried to hide behind his tiny paws. Yuugi's heart broke as he watched his son, and he couldn't help but crawl closer to curl around him.

"What's wrong, Yami?" Yuugi asked as he nudged the boy's side.

Yami sniffled as he buried his face in orange fur, "I don't know why Elena was being mean."

Amethyst eyes softened, "You just scared her, that's all. She didn't know how to react to that."

Yami pulled away to look at his mother with pleading eyes, "But she scares me all the time and I don't bite her ears!"

Yuugi sighed as he felt his heart break while tears slipped past ruby eyes. Yami may have been the spitting image of his father, aside from the curled tail, but underneath the full-bodied, vantablack fur and piercing crimson eyes, his son was as soft as Yuugi. It had been a hard decision to name his son Yami, especially because Yuugi didn't want to force an old image on his new son if that wasn't who he was, but Atemu convinced him that it wouldn't. Atemu explained to him that they wouldn't be naming their child to replace the one Yuugi had lost, but instead, to honor the life that had been taken away. It had been a hard decision, but Yuugi was glad that he had agreed with it.

Even though this Yami was very different from the first, Yuugi still loved him with all his heart and cherished him like the precious treasure he was; although, it was hard to do so when Yami like to spend as much time with his father as possible.

Yuugi smiled down at his son as he leaned closer to whisper, "That just means you know better than her," he licked Yami's fur while the youth stared at him in wonder, "Just because you're afraid or mad, doesn't mean you have to hurt whoever scared you. The fact that you know that already is very good."

Yami's black tail began to wag as he smiled at his mother, "So does that make me better than her?"

"In some ways, yes, but," Yuug cut off his son's excitement with a stern look, "She still has you beat in other areas, too."

Black ears lowered as Yami's tail stopped wagging, "How so?"

"She doesn't brag nearly as much as you do."

Both Yuugi and Yami perked their ears and turned to Atemu as he walked over. Elena was stumbling around his legs while the Dire Wolf took careful steps over her. Whenever she tripped, Atemu would nudge her with his paw to roll her over before she sprung to her feet and continued her antics.

Yuugi smiled as his mate drew close enough where they could exchange licks. When they pulled away, the shared a loving look before Atemu lay beside Yuugi, creating a circle with their bodies, enclosing Yami and Elena in the center. Their daughter jumped Yami, pinning the wolf to the ground, but when Yami went to bite back, she sprung away and curled into Yuugi's fur. Grumbling, Yami turned away and rubbed his face into Atemu's side. The elder chuckled as Yami finally settled against him.

With the pups settling into their afternoon nap, Yuugi leaned over and began to lick Atemu's cheek, "How is the pack?"

The alpha hummed as his crimson eyes slipped shut, "They're still shaken about everything, but they're otherwise okay," he chuckled softly as he opened his eyes to gaze warmly at his mate, "It helps that there are pups now: it brings them all together."

Yuugi pressed a final ick to Atemu's forehead before he pulled away enough to look at his mate clearly. He smiled, "I'm glad that no one is angry."

"Oh, they're angry," Atemu corrected, "They just understand that we would all die otherwise."

Orange ears dropped while Yuugi looked away, "I'm sorry."

A lick to his cheek brought the Shiba's attention back to Atemu, "Never be sorry about this. As hard as it is going to be on our pack, we will survive. We all understand that the humans are here to help despite their new ways of doing things. We may not like them, but we tolerate them."

Yuugi smiled for a moment before he lowered his gaze to Elena, "I know that this is hard on you all, I guess I didn't realize how hard."

"Tens of thousands of years of doing the same thing can make a mind grow narrow and unyielding to new ideas," Atemu paused and when Yuugi looked up to him, the alpha was staring out among the pack, "Perhaps this is the change that we need."

Yuugi watched the pack in silence for a moment before he chuckled, "It's just like when you first had to leave. It was different and new, but you survived."

Atemu smiled at the statement, "That is true."

The Shiba's smile faltered for a moment, "Do you think Bakura would've accepted the change?"

A heavy sigh was Yuugi's reply, "Bakura was more afraid of change than me, and while that made him great, it was also his flaw. Ultimately, he would have fought back, maybe even split the pack if he could appeal to their anger."

Yuugi shivered as he imagined the fight that could've been, "Would you have let him?"

There was a pause, "Yes. As much as it would pain me to let some of my pack go, I can not hold them here if they do not want to."

Yuugi leaned forward to press his head into Atemu's broad shoulder, "I miss him."

Atemu lay his head atop Yuugi as he took a deep breath, "I indeed have much to thank him for: not only was he a warrior at my side, but he also kept you safe," he lowered his voice so only Yuugi could hear, "I don't know what I would do without you."

Yuugi rubbed his eyes into the thick, black fur in order to hold back his tears. It hurt to come back and know that a member of their pack was permanently gone, and it was an old wound that Yuugi had felt before. The whole pack felt the missing presence, but they all worked together to fill that void. They were a pack, and they would overcome the pain, no matter how long it took.

Through it all, though, Yuugi had no better support than Atemu. The Dire Wolf had been with him through it all, despite his mistrust for the humans and their acts. He stayed with Yuugi as his support and in return, Yuugi gave him all the love in the world.

A smile tugged at Yuugi's lips, "I love you."

Atemu rumbled in approval, "I love you, too."

They remained in their positions, listening to their pups soft snores for a while. It eased both of their minds to see that their pups were safe and sound, and even more so for Yuugi. He never dreamed that he would have a loving family of his own, much less a mate. While Yuugi had always been happy with his human family, a part of him resigned to just being alone forever. Yet, here he lay now, with the best mate he could ever ask for and the family that he never believed he could have.

The larger head moved over Yuugi until it poked an orange cheek, "I'm going to resign as alpha of the pack."

Violet eyes widened as Yugi pulled back to look at Atemu, "What do you mean?"

The Dire Wolf smiled, "I think it's time for me to finally step down and allow Yusei to protect the pack."

Yuugi tilted his head, "But I thought you said that you've tried that before, only to end up in alpha once more."

Atemu nodded his head, "That is true," he turned his head to gaze softly at the pack, "But I have a feeling that with the humans here to preserve us, my job is finally fulfilled and my curse is lifted."

Yuugi's brows furrowed as he followed Atemu's gaze, "You're not… going to die are you?" he tried to keep the desperate fear out of his voice with minimal success.

Atemu immediately returned his attention back to Yuugi who tried to avoid his gaze. Sensing his mates worry, Atemu licked Yuugi's cheek before rubbing their necks together, "No, I would never leave your side, especially when you still need me," he pulled back and continued to lick Yuugi's face until they locked eyes, "I will never break my promise to protect you and to love you," he smiled, "I will continue to live the rest of my life by your side until we are both ready to move on."

Yuugi closed his eyes as he rested his head on Atemu's neck, "How do you know that?"

There was a pause, "The gods can be cruel with their gifts, but they would never intentionally harm. I've served my purpose as best as I could, and now I am rewarded with living the rest of my life with my family,"

Yuugi let out a soft laugh as a smile graced his lips, "I believe that."

Atemu hummed as he rested his head over Yuugi's, pressing the Shiba further into his body. Between them was a soft mewl, but when they glanced down, Yami had settled down into his sleep once more.

No, the gods wouldn't take Atemu away, not when he had a family and a mate to look after. Yuugi could feel his heart calm with reassurance as he watched their pups while he felt Atemu's warmth beside him. They would remain together until the end and they would live their lives happily together. Even then, if they were separated, they would always be connected in their hearts, because no matter where you are, home is where the heart is.

And Yuugi knew exactly where his home was.

 **The End**

(Koobre: Well, I planned to finish this story in May, but May was surprisingly an interesting, busy, stressful month. Trying to move and finish a story at the same time doesn't bode well. That being said, this story is finally finished! Born out of my desire for a werewolf story, this is one of my favorite stories to have written. Please let me know what you think: I want to know how y'all enjoyed it.

To those who have reviewed: thank you, thank you, thank you. Seeing your feedback, excitement, and encouragement really made me want to continue writing. I truly love and thank you all. As far as the challenge that I posted in an earlier chapter, no one gave the correct answer, so there is no winner. That's alright though: I already have more stories to type after this.

Darkened Eyes is getting a re-write, but that will come after this one-shot that I am writing for fellow author Lil'Dark. Stay tuned for updates.

Thanks for reading!)


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